A Pilot Randomized Trial of Intervention Components Addressing Drug Use in Couples HIV Testing and Counseling (CHTC) with Male Couples

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Tyrel J. Starks, City University of New York; Trey V. Dellucci, City University of New York; Sugandha Gupta, City University of New York; Gabriel Robles, Center for HIV/AIDS Educational Studies and Training (CHEST); Robert Stephenson, Emory University; Patrick Sullivan, Emory University; Jeffrey T. Parsons, City University of New York
• Language: English
• Date: 2019-09-01
• Publisher: Springer/Plenum Publishers
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2019.
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10461-019-02455-2
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Aids and Behavior
• Volume: 23
• Issue: 9
• Start Page: 2407
• End Page: 2420
• Grant/Funding Information: Collection and analyses of these data were supported by a National Institute on Drug Abuse grant (R34 DA036419; PI Starks).
• Keywords: Social Sciences, Biomedical; Biomedical Social Sciences; Efficacy; Close relationships; HIV testing; Sexual risk; HIV prevention; Social Sciences; Men who have sex with men; Associations; Prevention; Gay; Gay couples; Drug use; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Science & Technology; Public, Environmental & Occupational Health; Behavior; Men; Perceptions; Interdependence
• Research Categories: Psychology, Social; Psychology, Behavioral; Health Sciences, Public Health

Abstract

Background: 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. Methods: 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. Results: 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. Conclusions: CHTC may serve as a vehicle for the delivery of brief substance use intervention for MSM couples.