Project N-Liten- HIV Prevention for African American Women
Condition: Sexually Transmitted Diseases
MeSH terms: Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Young African-American women who report a higher frequency of alcohol use have particularly
      higher rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
      sex behaviors. Unfortunately, there are no evidence-based HIV interventions designed to be
      gender- and culturally-appropriate for this population. To address this, the investigators
      propose to add to the CDC-defined evidence-based intervention (DEBI), Horizons, a new
      intervention form, Group Motivational Enhancement Therapy (GMET), which has shown promise in
      reducing alcohol use and alcohol-related HIV risk-taking. To test how effective the combined
      Horizons+GMET alcohol-specific portion is, it will be evaluated with a time equivalent
      Horizons+attention control general health promotion (GHP) portion focusing on nutrition
      health promotion, and to an enhanced standard-of-care program. In this study, 600 young
      African American women, 18-24 years of age, who report 3 or more occasions where they drank
      alcohol in the past 90 days will be recruited to complete a four-part baseline assessment
      consisting of: 1. an audio computer assisted self interview (ACASI), 2. videotaped
      communication role plays to objectively measure communication skill ability (subsample), 3.
      provide a vaginal specimen to test for STDs and 4. Provide a urine pregnancy screen. After
      participants complete their baseline assessment, they will be randomly assigned to one of
      three conditions: 1. Horizons+GMET alcohol-specific condition, 2. a time-equivalent
      Horizons+GHP condition, or 3. an enhanced standard-of-care control condition. The GMET
      alcohol-specific component has shown to be effective in influencing several alcohol-specific
      concepts (attitudes, norms, self-efficacy) and reducing sexual risk-taking among
      culturally-diverse high-risk youth. The GMET alcohol-specific module was designed to increase
      woman's awareness of the unfavorable effects of alcohol on themselves, their sexual
      decision-making, and their male partner and teaches women strategies to reduce the
      possibility of engaging in sex under the influence of alcohol. In addition, the GMET
      alcohol-specific module provides skills training needed to effectively talk about sexual
      intentions to use condoms and/or refuse risky sex when they or their male sex partner has
      been using alcohol. After completing one of the three conditions, participants will complete
      a brief ACASI posttest to evaluate immediate changes in hypothesized social and psychological
      mediators of safer sex and alcohol use. Participants will also return to complete follow-up
      assessments at 3, 6, 9, and 12-months after their intervention. If the Horizons+GMET
      intervention is observed to be effective, investigators will work closely with the CDC DEBI
      program to help distribute the intervention to public health agencies and community based
      organizations (CBOs).
    


Intervention name(s): Horizons+General Health Promotion (GHP); Horizons+Motivational Enhancement Therapy (GMET)
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Participants will attend the Horizons HIV Prevention Program with an extra workshop on nutrition health promotion. Participants will attend a total of two (2) 5-hour workshops over 2 consecutive Saturdays. They will be led by African American health educators, and have about 8-12 other young women participants. The workshops will discuss gender and ethnic pride, self-esteem, good role models, and how to reduce risky sexual behavior. The nutrition health promotion workshop will give ideas on healthy nutrition and exercise. Participants will be asked to rate the workshop anonymously.; Participants will attend the Horizons Plus HIV Prevention Program. Participants will attend a total of two (2) 5-hour workshops over 2 consecutive Saturdays. They will be led by African American health educators, and have about 8-12 other young women participants. The workshops will discuss gender and ethnic pride, self-esteem, good role models, and how to reduce risky sexual behavior. Participants will be asked to rate the workshop anonymously.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: HIV; STDs; African American Females; Alcohol