HIV Prevention Intervention for Couples

Couples HIV Intervention Randomized Controlled Trial

Recent studies have shown that many drug-using minority women are vulnerable to HIV infection from their husbands or other intimate male partners. The goal of this study is to develop and evaluate two new HIV counseling and testing programs designed for drug-using women at risk for HIV from a primary male partner. It is predicted that HIV counseling and testing programs administered to couples rather than to women only, and programs that focus on intimate relationships in the context of HIV risk, will result in a reduction of risky sexual and drug-related behavior among drug-using women and their primary male partners. This four-year study employs a randomized clinical trial (RCT) design to test the effectiveness of two new HIV counseling and testing programs for women drug-users in Harlem and the South Bronx in New York City.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

The broad, long-term objective of this research is to establish primary preventive interventions to reduce human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk behavior among drug-using minority women. Recent studies indicate that high rates of sexual risk behavior occur within drug-using minority women's primary heterosexual relationships. Based on an integrated theory of HIV risk behavior, it is predicted that (a) interventions administered to couples rather than to women only, and (b) interventions that focus on relationship dynamics in the context of HIV risk, will result in a reduction of sexual and drug-related risk behavior among drug-using women and their primary partners. This four-year study employs a randomized clinical trial (RCT) 3-group design to test the efficacy of HIV intervention modality (couples versus women-only) and intervention content (relationship-focused versus standard HIV counseling and testing) on crack, cocaine and heroin (injected and noninjected) using women's sexual risk with primary partners.

A total of 390 women drug-users and their partners are recruited from the streets of Harlem and the South Bronx in New York City. Participants are randomly assigned to one of three HIV counseling and testing intervention conditions: (a) couples, relationship-focused; (b) women-only, relationship-focused; or, (c) NIDA women-only standard HIV-CT (control). All subjects are administered baseline, 3-month, and 9-month follow-up assessments using a combination of computer-assisted personal interview (CAPI) and computer-assisted self interview (CASI) techniques. In addition to sociodemographic characteristics, the interview will measure drug-use patterns, HIV risk behavior, and dyadic- and individual-level variables operationalized to test specific hypotheses of women's HIV risk behavior and behavior change. In addition to testing the effectiveness of the experimental interventions, data analyses will determine the theory-driven psychosocial mechanisms that act to mediate and moderate any observed association between intervention treatment and subsequent risk reduction. Incremental cost-effectiveness analyses will also be performed.

Results from this study will allow researchers to determine whether couple-based HIV counseling and testing is a more effective (and cost-effective) approach to HIV prevention than individual HIV counseling and testing. Analyses will further provide information on the specific components of couple-based interventions that were most effective in reducing HIV risk behavior, thereby contributing to theory development regarding intimate couples' HIV risk.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Anticipated)

780

Phase

  • Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

    • New York
      • Bronx, New York, United States, 10455
        • NDRI South Bronx Field Office

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

For women:

  • 18 years of age or older
  • self-reported use of crack, cocaine or heroin in prior 30 days
  • has male sex partner identified as primary partner for at least one year
  • had unprotected vaginal or anal sex with current partner in prior 30 days
  • able to enlist partner in study enrollment
  • would not feel threatened participating in the study with primary partner
  • must not have participated in HIV/AIDS related study or attended HIV counseling and testing session in six months
  • self-reported HIV negative or sero-unaware

For men:

  • 18 years of age or older

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
risk behaviors

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: James M McMahon, Ph.D., National Development and Research Institutes, Inc.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

April 1, 2005

Primary Completion (Actual)

December 1, 2007

Study Completion (Actual)

June 1, 2008

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 11, 2006

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 11, 2006

First Posted (Estimate)

May 15, 2006

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

April 9, 2013

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 5, 2013

Last Verified

April 1, 2013

More Information

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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