HORIZONS HIV Intervention
Condition: HIV Infections; Sexually Transmitted Diseases
MeSH terms: Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The Horizons Program will test the efficacy of a multi-session HIV prevention program for
      African American female teens attending reproductive health clinics in Atlanta, GA.
    

Detailed description: 
      African-American adolescent females are a population at high risk for HIV infection. Recent
      findings suggest that culturally and gender appropriate HIV interventions can significantly
      reduce HIV-associated sexual risk behaviors among this vulnerable population. The Horizons
      HIV intervention was developed for African-American female adolescents attending reproductive
      health clinics in Atlanta, GA. The specific objectives were:

        1. To evaluate the efficacy of the HORIZONS HIV intervention plus standard of care
           counseling versus the standard of care counseling alone in reducing self-reported HIV
           sexual risk behaviors and incident STDs over a 12 month follow-up period.

        2. To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the HORIZONS HIV intervention plus standard of
           care counseling to the standard of care counseling alone with respect to reducing risky
           sexual behavior and averting incident STDs.

      715 participants, ages 15-21, were recruited and enrolled at a large urban county health
      department, a teen clinic in a public hospital and a reproductive health clinic in the
      Atlanta area. After a computer interview assessing adolescents' sexual risk and preventive
      behaviors, and STD testing (Chlamydia and gonorrhea), participants were randomized to one of
      2 conditions: the HORIZONS Intervention or the Standard-of-care counseling group. Two trained
      female health educators lead the 2-session HORIZONS intervention which addressed gender and
      ethnic pride issues, STD/HIV knowledge, assertive partner communication and refusal skills,
      and role-play practice. Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) and the Theory of Gender and Power were
      complementary theoretical frameworks guiding the design and implementation of the HIV
      intervention. To supplement this group intervention, four phone contacts delivered by the
      original health educator were conducted during the follow-up period. The supplemental
      contacts reinforced workshop materials with an individually tailored plan for each
      participant. The control group received tracking calls only. Follow-up assessments identical
      to the baseline were conducted at 6 and 12-months post-randomization.
    

Intervention name(s): HORIZONS HIV Intervention; enhanced standard-of-care
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Two-session, group-based interactive HIV prevention intervention; 1 hour group session consisting of an HIV prevention video, a question and answer session with an African American woman health educator, and participation in a group discussion about how to avoid acquiring HIV.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: HIV; Sexually Transmitted diseases; Adolescents; Prevention; HIV Seronegativity