Culturally-Tailored HIV Risk Reduction for African-American MSM

Culturally-Tailored HIV Risk Reduction for African-American MSM (Project ABLE: African-Americans Building Life Empowerment

The purpose of this study to conduct a small randomized control trial to compare the relative effectiveness of a single-session of HIV testing and counseling risk reduction intervention (HCT-only) to an enhanced intervention that includes the standard HCT intervention plus a theory-based and culturally-tailored group-level intervention designed to reduce or eliminate HIV and STI risk behaviors (HCT-plus) among African-American men who have sex with men (AA-MSM).

The HCT-plus intervention will consist of the HCT-only intervention, as well as 8 small group intervention sessions focused on HIV risk reduction. Small groups will consist of 10 men who will meet once-a-week for 8 consecutive weeks. Each meeting will last approximately 2 hours. In each small group session, staff will work with men to reassess their HIV risk behavior, re-prioritize their goals as appropriate, and provide motivational support for their risk reduction accomplishments. Participants will be asked to discuss ways they have successfully avoided HIV risk behavior since the previous session, as well as to discuss situations in which they found it difficult to avoid risk. Staff will reinforce successful risk avoidance, and problem-solve with men to overcome barriers to risk reduction.

Inclusion Criteria:

• reside in Milwaukee county;
• are at least 18 years of age;
• self-identify as male;
• self-identify as Black or African-American;
• can provide informed consent;
• report unprotected anal sex with a man in the past 3 months;
• report at least two sexual partners with whom they have had unprotected anal or vaginal sex in the past 3 months;
• are willing to be tested for HIV using rapid oral fluid procedures or willing to provide evidence of HIV seropositivity

Exclusion Criteria:

• Under 18 years of age,
• involvement in a HIV prevention study currently or in the past 6 months,
• Participation in the pilot phase