title: Efficacy of a brief HIV prevention counseling intervention among STI clinic patients in Russia: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: The study examined the efficacy of a brief theory-based counseling intervention to reduce sexual HIV risk behaviors among STI clinic patients in St. Petersburg, Russia. Men and women (n = 307) were recruited to receive either: (1) a 60-minute motivational/skills-building counseling session dealing with sexual HIV risk reduction, or (2) written HIV prevention information material. Participants completed baseline, three- and six-month assessments in the period between July 2009 and May 2011. Compared to the control group, the face-to-face counseling intervention showed significant increases in the percentage of condom use and consistent condom use, and significant decreases in the number of unprotected sexual acts and frequency of drug use before sex. Intervention effects dissipated by 6 months. The brief counseling intervention may effectively reduce HIV sexual risk behaviors and enhance protective behaviors among STI clinic patients in Russia. Short-term positive effects were achieved with a single one hour counseling session.
authors.affiliation: Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT, 06520-8034, USA. nadia.abdala@yale.edu
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Abdala
authors.forename: Weihai
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.forename: Alla V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Shaboltas
authors.forename: Roman V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Skochilov
authors.forename: Andrei P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Kozlov
authors.forename: Tatiana V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Krasnoselskikh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012426:Russia; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult