Open AccessA Pilot Randomized Trial of Intervention Components Addressing Drug Use in Couples HIV Testing and Counseling (CHTC) with Male Couples
Author(s) -
Tyrel J. Starks,
Trey V. Dellucci,
Sugandha K. Gupta,
Gabriel Robles,
Rob Stephenson,
Patrick S. Sullivan,
Jeffrey T. Parsons
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
aids and behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.994
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1573-3254
pISSN - 1090-7165
DOI - 10.1007/s10461-019-02455-2
Subject(s) - health psychology , men who have sex with men , intervention (counseling) , medicine , randomized controlled trial , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , drug , clinical psychology , substance use , public health , clinical trial , transmission (telecommunications) , psychiatry , family medicine , pathology , syphilis , electrical engineering , engineering
Men who have sex with men (MSM) experience high rates of substance use and HIV infection. Main partners are the source of many (35-68%) of these new HIV infections. This study developed and examined the efficacy of two adjunct components to couples HIV testing and counseling (CHTC)-communication training (CT) videos and a substance use module (SUM)-to reduce drug use and sexual HIV transmission risk in MSM couples. Participants included 70 male couples randomized into one of four conditions: CHTC, CHTC + CT videos, CHTC + SUM, and CHTC + CT videos + SUM. Participants completed a survey pre-intervention and 1-, 3-, and 6-months later. Completion of the SUM in the absence of CT videos was associated with significant immediate decreases in drug use and related problems; however, at 3- and 6-month follow ups, the SUM was only associated with reductions in drug use and related problems among men who also viewed the CT videos. There were no between-condition differences in sexual behavior. CHTC may serve as a vehicle for the delivery of brief substance use intervention for MSM couples.ClinicalTrails.gov NCT # 03125915.