Motivational and skills training HIV/sexually transmitted infection sexual risk reduction groups for men

Abstract

The effectiveness of a motivational and skills training HIV/AIDS group intervention designed for men in substance abuse treatment was evaluated. Men in methadone maintenance (n=288) or outpatient psychosocial treatment (n=302) completed assessments at baseline, 2 weeks, 3- and 6-months post intervention. Participants were randomly assigned to attend either “Real Men Are Safe” (REMAS; five sessions containing information, motivational exercises and skills training), or HIV education (HIV-Ed; one session containing HIV prevention information). REMAS participants engaged in significantly fewer unprotected vaginal and anal sexual intercourse occasions (USO) during the 90 days prior to the 3- and 6-month follow-ups than HIV-Ed participants. Completing REMAS resulted in an even stronger effect: completers reduced their number of USO by 21% from baseline to 6-month follow-up. In contrast, HIV-Ed completers increased the number of USO by 2%. A motivational and skills training HIV prevention intervention designed for men was associated with greater sexual risk reduction over standard HIV education. Substance abuse treatment programs can therefore help reduce sexual risk among their clientele by providing a more intensive intervention than what is traditionally provided.

Real Men Are Safe–Culturally Adapted: Utilizing the Delphi Process to Revise Real Men Are Safe for an Ethnically Diverse Group of Men in Substance Abuse Treatment

“…Men assigned to the REMAS groups engaged in significantly fewer self-reported unprotected vaginal and anal intercourse occasions during the 90 days prior to the 3- and 6-month post-intervention follow-ups compared to men assigned to a standard HIV education group (Calsyn et al, 2009). In addition, men assigned to the REMAS groups were less likely to have engaged in sex under the influence of drugs or alcohol during their most recent sexual encounter prior to the 3-month follow-up compared to men assigned to a standard HIV education group (Calsyn et al, 2010b).…”

“…There was nearly an equal focus on information delivery and skill building, with a somewhat smaller focus on motivation. A more detailed description of the intervention is available in Calsyn and colleagues (2009). There was no attempt in Real Men Are Safe, or either of the interventions from which it borrowed heavily, to address cultural issues related to HIV prevention.…”

“…One goal of the intervention was to increase condom use with casual sexual partners. Looking at the total study sample, the percent of participants using condoms for more than 80% of all vaginal and anal intercourse occasions with casual partners increased from baseline to the 3- and 6-month follow-ups by 34.1% and 17.2%, respectively, for REMAS participants, compared to 20.9% and 2% increase for HIV education participants (Calsyn et al, 2009). However, a closer look at ethnicity revealed that for White REMAS attenders ( n = 27), frequent condom use with casual partners increased from 5.8% at baseline to 38.9% at 6-month follow-up ( p < .05, McNemar binomial), whereas for African Americans ( n = 9), there was an increase (11.1% to 22.2%) that was not statistically significant (Calsyn et al, 2010a, November).…”

Impact of Interim Methadone Maintenance on HIV Risk Behaviors

“…12 Gender-specific sexual risk reduction interventions, based on recent research, 13,14 should be delivered in drug abuse treatment programs.…”

Social Psychology and the Fight Against AIDS

“…IMB model-based HIV/AIDS prevention interventions have had a significant impact in the promotion of safer sexual behavior in a wide variety of populations, including STI clinic patients (Abdala et al, 2013;Kalichman, Cherry, & Browne-Sperling, 1999;Kalichman, Williams, & Nachimson, 1999;Simbayi et al, 2004), low-income women Belcher et al, 1998;Carey et al, 2000;Carey, Maisto, et al, 1997), IDUs (Avants, Margolin, Usubiaga, & Doebrick, 2004;Calsyn et al, 2009;Copenhaver, Lee, Margolin, Bruce, & Altice, 2011;Margolin, Avants, Warburton, Hawkins, & Shi, 2003), military personnel (Bing et al, 2008;Boyer et al, 2001Boyer et al, , 2005, MSM (Bowen, Williams, Daniel, & Clayton, 2008;Mimiaga et al, 2012;Safren et al, 2011), individuals with mental illness (Carey et al, 2004;Otto-Salaj, Kelly, Stevenson, Hoffmann, & Kalichman, 2001;Weinhardt, Carey, Carey, & Verdecias, 1998), adolescent high school and older adolescent university students (Cohen, 2000;Fisher, Fisher, Bryan, & Misovich, 2002;Fisher, Fisher, Misovich, Kimble, & Malloy, 1996;Jaworski & Carey, 2001;Kiene & Barta, 2006;Lemieux, Fisher, & Pratto, 2008;Malow et al, 2009;Metzler, Biglan, Noell, Ary, & Ochs, 2000;Morrison-Beedy et al, 2013;Peeler, 2000;Rosengard, 1992;Rotheram-Borus, Gwadz, Fernandez, & Srinivasan, 1998;…”