Efficacy of sexually transmitted disease/human immunodeficiency virus sexual risk-reduction intervention for African American adolescent females seeking sexual health services: A randomized controlled trial

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of an intervention to reduce incident sexually transmitted disease (STD) and enhance STD/human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-preventive behaviors and psychosocial mediators. Design: A randomized controlled trial of an HIV prevention program. Setting: Clinic-based sample in Atlanta, Georgia. Participants: African American adolescent females (N=715), aged 15 to 21 years, seeking sexual health services. Participants completed an audio computerassisted self-interview and provided self-collected vaginal specimens for STD testing. Intervention: Intervention participants received two 4-hour group sessions and 4 telephone contacts over a 12-month period, targeting personal, relational, sociocultural, and structural factors associated with adolescents' STD/HIV risk, and were given vouchers facilitating male partners' STD testing/treatment. Main Outcome Measure: Incident chlamydial infections. Results: Over the 12-month follow-up, fewer adolescents in the intervention had a chlamydial infection (42 vs 67; risk ratio [RR], 0.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.42 to 0.98; P=.04) or recurrent chlamydial infection (4 vs 14; RR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.08 to 0.83; P=.02). Adolescents in the intervention also reported a higher proportion of condom-protected sex acts in the 60 days preceding follow-up assessments (mean difference, 10.84; 95% CI, 5.27 to 16.42; P<.001) and less frequent douching (mean difference, -0.76; 95% CI, -1.15 to -0.37; P=.001). Adolescents in the intervention were also more likely to report consistent condom use in the 60 days preceding follow-up assessments (RR, 1. 41; 95% CI, 1.09 to 1.80; P=.01) and condom use at last intercourse (RR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.09 to 1.54; P=.005). Intervention effects were observed for psychosocial mediators of STD/HIV-preventive behaviors. Conclusion: Interventions for African American adolescent females can reduce chlamydial infections and enhance STD/HIV-preventive behaviors and psychosocial mediators of STD/HIV-preventive behaviors. Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00633906.