Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of Motivational Interviewing with Sexual Minority Male Couples to Reduce Drug Use and Sexual Risk: The Couples Health Project

Tyrel J Starks, Trinae Adebayo, Kory D Kyre, Brett M Millar, Mark J Stratton Jr, Monica Gandhi, Karen S Ingersoll, Tyrel J Starks, Trinae Adebayo, Kory D Kyre, Brett M Millar, Mark J Stratton Jr, Monica Gandhi, Karen S Ingersoll

Abstract

A randomized controlled trial evaluated the preliminary efficacy of a dyadically-delivered motivational interviewing (MI) intervention to reduce drug use and sexual risk in a sample of 50 sexual minority (cis)male (SMM) couples. In each couple, at least one partner was aged 18-29; reported drug use and sexual HIV transmission risk; and was HIV-negative. Couples were randomized to either the three-session MI intervention or an attention-matched control, with follow-up surveys completed at 3- and 6-months post-baseline. Between-group differences for all outcomes were non-significant in the overall sample. Subsequent moderation analyses indicated the intervention significantly reduced illicit drug use (excluding marijuana) at 3-month follow-up when either respondents (B = - 1.96; interval rate ratio-IRR 0.02-1.22; p = .001), their partners (B = - 2.60; IRR 0.01-0.64; p = .004), or both (B = - 2.38; IRR 0.01-0.80; p = .001) reported high levels of baseline use. The intervention also reduced condomless anal sex (CAS) with casual partners when both partners reported high frequency baseline CAS (B = - 2.54; IRR 0.01-0.83; p = .047). Findings provide initial evidence of the potential for MI to address drug use and sexual risk-taking among SMM couples at highest risk.Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov (NIH U.S. National Library of Medicine) Identifier: #NCT03386110.

Keywords: Club drug; Gay and bisexual men; HIV; Marijuana; Sexually transmitted infection.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare they have no conflicts of interest or competing interests.

© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Consolidated standards of reporting trials (CONSORT) study flow
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Other Illicit Drug Use frequency at 3-month follow-up: interactions among condition, actor baseline report, and partner baseline report
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
CAS with casual partners frequency at 6-month follow-up: interactions among condition, actor baseline report, and partner baseline report

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