Efficacy of an Abstinence-Only HIV Risk-Reduction Intervention for Young African-American Adolescents

Summary

This study will develop and evaluate the effectiveness of culturally appropriate HIV/sexually transmitted disease risk-reduction interventions in reducing sexual risk behavior among young African-American adolescents.

Conditions

• HIV Infections
• Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Abstinence-only HIV/STD risk-reduction intervention

Participants will attend two sessions consisting of eight 1-hour modules that are designed to increase knowledge, motivation, and skill for practicing abstinence. The intervention is not an abstinence-until-marriage intervention; the target behavior is abstaining from sexual activity until later in life when the adolescent is more prepared to handle the consequences. The intervention does not contain inaccurate information, portray sex in a negative light, or employ a moralistic tone. It is not designed to affect condom use.

BEHAVIORAL

Safer-sex-only HIV/STD risk-reduction intervention

Participants will attend two sessions consisting of eight 1-hour modules that are designed to increase knowledge, motivation, and skill for using condoms during sexual intercourse. The intervention is not designed to influence abstinence.

BEHAVIORAL

Long comprehensive HIV/STD risk-reduction intervention

Participants will attend three sessions consisting of twelve 1-hour modules that are designed to increase knowledge, motivation, and skill for practicing abstinence and for using condoms if participants decide to be sexually active. The intervention consists of the safer-sex-specific content (4 hours), the abstinence-specific content (4 hours), and the general content that is common to both of the single-component interventions (4 hours).

BEHAVIORAL

Short comprehensive HIV/STD risk-reduction intervention

Participants will attend two sessions consisting of eight 1-hour modules that are designed to increase knowledge, motivation, and skill for practicing abstinence and for using condoms if participants decide to be sexually active.

BEHAVIORAL

Health promotion control intervention

Participants will attend two sessions consisting of eight 1-hour modules that are designed to increase knowledge, motivation, and skill for avoiding cigarette smoking and for incorporating a healthful diet, aerobic exercise, and breast and testicular self-examinations. The control intervention will focus on reducing risk of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and certain cancers. The intervention provides a control for "Hawthorne effects" to reduce the likelihood that the HIV/STD interventions' effects can be attributed to group interaction and special attention.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

  collaborator NIH

• University of Pennsylvania

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• John B. Jemmott III, PhD · University of Pennsylvania

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2001-09-30

Primary Completion

2004-08-31

Completion

2004-08-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations