An HIV Prevention Intervention for Ethnically Diverse Men in Substance Abuse Treatment: Pilot Study Findings

• Published in: American journal of public health (1971) 2013-05, Vol.103 (5), p.896-902
• Main Authors: CALSYN, Donald A, BURLEW, A. Kathleen, HATCH-MAILLETTE, Mary A, BEADNELL, Blair, WRIGHT, Lynette, WILSON, Jerika
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Addictive behaviors; Adolescent; Adult; African Americans; African Americans - statistics & numerical data; Biological and medical sciences; Clinical trials; Condoms; Condoms - utilization; Connecticut; Cultural Competency; Cultural heritage; Culture; Disease prevention; Drug abuse; Education; Ethnicity; European Continental Ancestry Group - statistics & numerical data; Focus Groups; General aspects; Hispanic Americans; Hispanic Americans - statistics & numerical data; HIV; HIV Infections - ethnology; HIV Infections - prevention & control; Human immunodeficiency virus; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infections; Infectious diseases; Intervention; Los Angeles; Male; Medical sciences; Men; Middle Aged; Minority & ethnic groups; Miscellaneous; Pilot Projects; Prevention and actions; Program Development - methods; Public health; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Research and Practice; Sexual behavior; Sexual Behavior - ethnology; Sexual Behavior - statistics & numerical data; Sexual intercourse; Skill development; Skills; Substance abuse treatment; Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; Substance-Related Disorders - complications; Substance-Related Disorders - ethnology; Substance-Related Disorders - rehabilitation; Vagina; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0090-0036; 1541-0048
• DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2012.300970

We determined the acceptability, participants' receptivity, and effectiveness of a culturally adapted version of Real Men Are Safe (REMAS-CA), an HIV prevention intervention for men in substance abuse treatment. In 2010 and 2011, we compared participants who attended at least 1 (of 5) REMAS-CA session (n = 66) with participants in the original REMAS study (n = 136). Participants completed an assessment battery at baseline and at 3-month follow-up with measures of substance abuse, HIV risk behaviors, perceived condom barriers, and demographics. We conducted postintervention focus groups at each clinic. Minority REMAS-CA participants were more likely to have attended 3 or more sessions (87.0%), meeting our definition of intervention completion, than were minority participants in the REMAS study (75.1%; odds ratio = 2.1). For REMAS-CA participants with casual partners (n = 25), the number of unprotected sexual occasions in the past 90 days declined (6.2 vs 1.6). Among minority men in the REMAS study (n = 36), the number of unprotected sexual occasions with casual partners changed little (9.4 vs 8.4; relative risk = 4.56). REMAS-CA was effective across ethnic groups, a benefit for HIV risk reduction programs that serve a diverse clientele.