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Group counseling to prevent sexually transmitted disease and HIV: a randomized controlled trial
B M Branson1, T A Peterman, R O Cannon
1Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA.
Objective:
To compare prevention effectiveness of multisession group counseling with standard HIV prevention counseling for reducing risk behaviors and new sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
Methods:
Small groups of consenting STD clinic patients were randomized to four 1-hour small group counseling interventions based on the information-motivation-behavioral skills (IMB) model with a booster session at 2 months or to the standard two 20-minute individual counseling sessions. Follow-up interviews and examinations were 2, 6, 9, and 12 months after enrollment.
Results:
From March 1992 through June 1993, 996 (59%) of 1,681 eligible persons were enrolled; 32 (3%) tested HIV-positive and were excluded. Intervention attendance was 98% for one session, and 47% attended four or five counseling sessions. Follow-up was similar for both groups: 72% attended at least once; 47% returned at 12 months. Both groups had similar increases in condom use and decreases in number of partners, and similar number of new infections with gonorrhea (14%), chlamydia (10%), or syphilis (2%).
Conclusions:
Two 20-minute counseling sessions were as effective as four 1-hour group sessions for reducing risk behavior and STD incidence in an STD clinic patient population.