A randomized control trial of personalized cognitive counseling to reduce sexual risk among HIV-infected men who have sex with men

Abstract

The increased life expectancy and well-being of HIV-infected persons presents the need for effective prevention methods in this population. Personalized cognitive counseling (PCC) has been shown to reduce unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) with a partner of unknown or different serostatus among HIV-uninfected men who have sex with men (MSM). We adapted PCC for use among HIV-infected MSM and tested its efficacy against standard risk-reduction counseling in a randomized clinical trial in San Francisco. Between November 2006 and April 2010, a total of 374 HIV-infected MSM who reported UAI with two or more men of negative or unknown HIV serostatus in the previous 6 months were randomized to two sessions of PCC or standard counseling 6 months apart. The primary outcome was the number of episodes of UAI with a non-primary male partner of different or unknown serostatus in the past 90 days, measured at baseline, 6, and 12 months. Surveys assessed participant satisfaction with the counseling. The mean number of episodes of UAI at baseline did not differ between PCC and control groups (2.97 and 3.14, respectively; p=0.82). The mean number of UAI episodes declined in both groups at 6 months, declined further in the PCC group at 12 months, while increasing to baseline levels among controls; these differences were not statistically significant. Episode mean ratios were 0.76 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.25–2.19, p=0.71) at 6 months and 0.48 (95% CI 0.12–1.84, p=0.34) at 12 months. Participants in both groups reported a high degree of satisfaction with the counseling. The findings from this randomized trial do not support the efficacy of a two-session PCC intervention at reducing UAI among HIV-infected MSM and indicate the continued need to identify and implement effective prevention methods in this population.

Keywords:

• homosexual men
• HIV
• sexual risk
• HIV risk behavior
• risk-reduction counseling

Acknowledgements

The authors want to thank the participants in our study for their willingness to engage in this research and our staff whose contributions were essential to its success: Nancy Bomse, Charlene Chang, Jessica Chiang, Brook Hailu, Robert Holum, Melinda James, Charlotte Joseph, Lisa Loeb, Mariam Malik, Kara Marson, Ana Martinez, John Montopoli, Chris Powers, Roberta Sutton, Conrad Wenzel, and Robyn Young. This research was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (R01-MH73425-04).