We will describe the design, implementation and report preliminary data from a randomized controlled trial of a social skills-based HIV sexual risk reduction intervention among men with severe mental illness. The intervention grows out of a decade of clinical and research experience in delivering sexual risk-reduction information to this population. The sample will include 200 sexually active men drawn from outpatient psychiatric clinics in high HIV-prevalence urban communities. The men are randomly assigned to either the experimental intervention, which comprises 10 group sessions focused on risk reduction followed by several subsequent maintenance sessions, or to a control money management intervention comprised of the same number of sessions. Participants are followed for 18 months after the intervention. The primary outcome is self-reported sexual risk behavior during the follow-up period, which is assessed using instruments of demonstrated reliability. Trends in the incidence of sexually transmitted disease will also be examined for corollary evidence of an intervention effect.
Learning Objectives: Participants will become familiar with the design of a randomized trial testing an intervention designed to reduce HIV risk among men with severe mental illness
Keywords: Mental Illness, HIV Risk Behavior
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.