Testing an HIV Prevention Intervention for Psychiatric Patients in Brazil
Condition: HIV Infection; HIV Infections
MeSH terms: Infections; Communicable Diseases; HIV Infections; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
Study type: Interventional
Phase: Phase 3

Summary: 
      This study will test the effectiveness of a program aimed at reducing behaviors that increase
      HIV risk among people with severe mental illnesses.
    

Detailed description: 
      HIV is a virus that weakens a person's immune system and can cause AIDS. It is most commonly
      transmitted through unprotected sexual contact. People with a mental illness who are sexually
      active may be at risk of HIV infection, but most interventions for reducing risk of HIV
      infection do not target this particular population. This study will test an intervention
      aimed at reducing behaviors with a high risk of causing HIV infection in sexually active
      people with a mental illness.

      Participation in this study will last 15 months. At study entry, participants will complete a
      baseline interview with a research assistant. This interview will evaluate sexual activity,
      knowledge of HIV, the participant's psychiatric diagnosis and symptoms, attitude toward
      condoms, and stigma related to mental illness experienced by the participant.

      Participants will then be randomly assigned to either an HIV risk reduction group or a
      general health group. Both of these groups will meet once a week for 8 weeks. Those in the
      HIV risk reduction group will learn information and take part in activities aimed at reducing
      behaviors that place people at a high risk of being infected with HIV. Those in the general
      health group will learn about long-term serious medical conditions, such as diabetes and high
      blood pressure, that may be common in people with a mental illness.

      Participants will complete two follow-up visits after their 8-week intervention, one the week
      after and one 3 months after. Participants will then complete a "booster" of three weekly
      group sessions covering the same information from their 8-week intervention. More follow-up
      visits will occur 1 week and 6 months after participants complete the booster sessions. All
      follow-up visits will involve an interview similar to the one held at study entry.
      Additionally, feedback forms will be completed at the first interview at study entry, after
      the eight group sessions, after the three booster sessions, and at the last interview.
    

Intervention name(s): HIV Prevention Intervention - Project PRISSMA - HIV I have my eye on you; Health Promotion Intervention
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Eight weekly 2-hour HIV risk reduction intervention sessions, with three weekly 2-hour booster sessions completed 6 months after the initial intervention. Specific goals of the intervention are to (1) increase information about HIV risk behaviors and safer sex options; (2) increase identification of personal risk of HIV and enhance the motivation to engage in safer sex behaviors; and (3) enhance skills to achieve safer sex, particularly negotiating safer sex, using condoms, and communicating within a relationship.; Eight weekly 2-hour health promotion intervention sessions with three weekly 2-hour booster sessions completed 6 months after the initial intervention. Specific goals of the intervention are to (1) increase information about health issues specific to psychiatric patients, (2) increase identification of personal health risks and enhance motivation to engage in healthier behaviors, and (3) enhance skills to achieve healthier behaviors.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: HIV Information; HIV Prevention; Severe Mental Illness; HIV seronegativity