Reducing risk of sexually transmitted disease (STD) and human immunodeficiency virus infection in a military STD clinic: Evaluation of a randomized preventive intervention trial

Three single-session preventive interventions for reducing sexually transmi tted disease (STD) and human immunodeficiency virus infection risk behavior s were evaluated with a sample of 400 men who attended a large military STD clinic. A quasi-experimental, preevaluation/postevaluation design was used , comparing standard clinic care alone versus standard care combined with 1 of 3 experimental interventions: health-risk appraisal, Interactive video, and targeted situational behaviors. Questionnaire data were collected at b aseline and during follow-up visits at 2 weeks and 2 months. Findings indic ated that the health-risk appraisal and interactive video increased adheren ce with clinic recommendations to abstain from sex (chi(2)[3199]=19.67; P<. 001) and increased readiness to change "risky" partner-selection behavior ( chi(2)[2194]=6.42; P<.04). Follow-up data suggested that STD-related risk b ehavior was particularly resistant to change hut that the single-session in tervention had some impact, which could be viewed as a "priming" effect tha t enhances multisession interventions.