Demonstration and evaluation of a peer-delivered, individually-tailored, HIV prevention intervention for HIV-infected MSM in their primary care setting

AIDS Behav. 2011 Jul;15(5):949-58. doi: 10.1007/s10461-010-9807-8.

Abstract

Employing HIV-infected peer counselors in secondary prevention interventions for MSM is appealing for scalable interventions. One-hundred-seventy-six HIV-infected MSM at their primary care facility participated in a secondary HIV-prevention study delivered by HIV-infected MSM peers. Of those who entered the intervention and completed the initial intake, 62% completed all four of the intervention sessions, and 93% completed at least one. While there was no overall change in transmission risk behavior (TRB) for the whole sample, among those who reported HIV TRB at baseline (n = 29), there were significant reductions in TRB over the next year. Themes that emerged in qualitative exit interviews conducted with a subset of participants centered on peer counselor quality, intervention implications, and intervention experience. This demonstration project provides initial evidence for the ability to recruit HIV-infected MSM in care into a peer-based intervention study, and shows how a peer-based intervention can be delivered in the context of HIV care.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Boston
  • Counseling*
  • Evidence-Based Medicine
  • HIV Infections / prevention & control*
  • HIV Infections / transmission
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Homosexuality, Male*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care*
  • Peer Group
  • Primary Health Care / organization & administration
  • Qualitative Research
  • Risk Reduction Behavior
  • Risk-Taking
  • Young Adult