title: A Meta-Analysis of the Efficacy of Behavioral Interventions to Reduce Risky Sexual Behavior and Decrease Sexually Transmitted Infections in Latinas Living in the United States.
abstract: The objective of this meta-analysis was to determine the effect of behavioral interventions in reducing risky sexual behavior and incident sexually transmitted infections (STI) among Latina women living in the United States. Studies were found by systematically searching the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsychInfo databases without language restriction. Two independent reviewers screened abstracts and full texts of articles to find randomized control trials testing the effects of behavioral interventions aimed at changing risky sexual behavior among Latinas. Articles were selected using prespecified inclusion criteria. Two independent reviewers extracted data from the included trials in duplicate using a standardized data extraction form. Six randomized control trials met the inclusion criteria for a total of 2,909 participants. Using random effects models with inverse variance weighting, we found a protective effect of the behavioral intervention on reported risky sexual behavior (odds ratio = 0.52; 95% confidence interval = 0.42, 0.64) and on incident nonviral STI (odds ratio = 0.65; 95% confidence interval = 0.46, 0.93). Behavioral interventions targeted toward Latina populations are effective in reducing risky sexual behaviors and incident STI and should be considered by policymakers as a potential tool for HIV/STI prevention in this population.
authors.affiliation: Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA malthoff@tulane.edu.
authors.forename: Meghan D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Althoff
authors.affiliation: Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA.
authors.forename: Cary T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Grayson
authors.affiliation: Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA.
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Witt
authors.affiliation: Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc., Princeton, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Holden
authors.affiliation: Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.affiliation: Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kissinger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D014481:United States; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control
keywords: Latina; behavioral intervention; condom use; meta-analysis; sexually transmitted infections