Hombre Seguro (Safe Men) : a sexual risk reduction intervention for male clients of female sex workers
Pitpitan, E.V.; Chavarin, C.V.; Semple, S.J.; Magis-Rodriguez, C.; Strathdee, S.A.; Patterson, T.L.
Bmc Public Health 14: 475
2014
ISSN/ISBN: 1471-2458 PMID: 24885949 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-14-475Document Number: 636829
Male clients of female sex workers (FSWs) are at risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). We conducted a two-arm randomized controlled trial to test the efficacy of a sexual risk reduction intervention for male clients of FSWs in Tijuana, Mexico. Male clients of FSWs who were at least 18, were HIV-negative at baseline, and reported recent unprotected sex with FSWs were randomized to the Hombre Seguro sexual risk reduction intervention, or a time-attention didactic control condition. Each condition lasted approximately one hour. Participants underwent interviewer-administered surveys and testing for HIV and other STIs at baseline, and at 4, 8, and 12 month follow-ups. Combined HIV/STI incidence and unprotected vaginal and anal sex acts with FSWs were the primary outcomes. A total of 400 participants were randomized to one of the two conditions. Analyses indicated that randomization was successful; there were no significant differences between the participants in the two conditions at baseline. Average follow-up was 84% across both conditions. This is the first study to test the efficacy of a sexual risk reduction intervention for male clients of FSWs using the rigor of a randomized controlled trial. NCT01280838, Date of registration: January 19, 2011.