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Explore

An Evidence-Based Practice

This practice has been Archived and is no longer maintained.

Description

The Explore intervention provides one-on-one counseling sessions to HIV-seronegative men who have sex with men (MSM) to prevent HIV infection and reduce unprotected sexual behavior. Participants are recruited from dance clubs, bars, bathhouses, health clubs, internet sites, and clinics. During 10 core counseling sessions participants establish rapport with the counselor and cover topics such as sexual communication, knowledge of HIV serostatus when making sexual decisions, and the role of alcohol and drug use in risk behavior. The sessions also build skills to modify risky behavior and cope with triggers of unsafe sex. The program uses a skill model focused on information, motivation, and behavior and includes goal setting, counseling, and condom supply. After the initial intervention HIV testing and counseling is provided every six months, and seven follow-up counseling sessions are delivered every three months.

Goal / Mission

The goal of the Explore study is to prevent HIV infection among HIV-negative men who have sex with men.

Results / Accomplishments

At 12- and 18-month follow-ups the over 2,000 men involved in the Explore intervention group were significantly less likely to report any unprotected anal sex, serodiscordant unprotected anal sex, and serodiscordant receptive anal sex than men receiving a standard comparison intervention (p < 0.001). Men in the intervention group also saw an 18% reduction in HIV incidence, but this was not statistically significant over the control group.

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
HIV Prevention Trials Network
Primary Contact
No current contact information available
Topics
Health / Immunizations & Infectious Diseases
Health / Men's Health
Organization(s)
HIV Prevention Trials Network
Source
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Date of publication
2004
Date of implementation
1999
Location
USA
For more details
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/research/prs/resourc...
Target Audience
Adults
Additional Audience
MSM

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  1. Seropositive Urban Men’s Intervention Trial (SUMIT)
  2. CDC COMMUNITY GUIDE: Interventions to Reduce Sexual Risk Behaviors or Increase Protective Behaviors to Prevent Acquisition of HIV in Men Who Have Sex with Men: Individual-, Group-, and Community-Level Behavioral Interventions
  3. Popular Opinion Leader
  4. Female Condom Skills Training (FEMIT)
  5. Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model HIV Intervention
  6. Video Opportunities for Innovative Condom Education and Safer Sex (VOICES/VOCES)

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Related Content for: Explore

An Evidence-Based Practice meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes at a minimum: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program implementation steps, and outcomes that have demonstrated program success in achieving the program goal in one or more localities.
  2. The results from an evaluation of the program include quantitative measures showing improvement in the outcome(s) of interest after the implementation of the program (i.e. increase in smoking cessation, not just the delivery of a smoking cessation program). The outcome measure(s) is/are compared at relevant time periods before and after the intervention or program implementation. Alternatively, the evaluation study compares the outcome(s) between an intervention group and an appropriate control group.
  3. The study is of peer-review quality and presents numbers in a scientific manner; measurements of precision and reliability are included (e.g. confidence intervals, standard errors), results from statistical tests show a significant difference or change in the outcome measure(s), and relevant point estimates and p-values are presented. Note: if the results from an evaluation of a program are presented in a scientific manner and the outcome measure is improved compared to the baseline measurement or the control group but the difference is not statistically significant, the practice is classified as effective and not evidence-based.
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