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Efficacy of a booster counseling session 6 months after HIV testing
and counseling: A randomized, controlled Trial (RESPECT-2).
Sexually Transmitted Diseases 2005;32(2):123-129.
Metcalf CA, Malotte CK, Douglas Jr, JM, Paul SM, Dillon BA, Cross H,
Brookes LC, Deaugustine N, Lindsey CA, Byers RH, Peterman TA for the RESPECT-2
Study Group.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: HIV counseling prevents sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), with
most of the benefit accumulating in the first 6 months. STUDY: The authors
conducted a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial of a 20-minute additional
(booster) counseling session 6 months after HIV counseling compared with
no additional counseling for prevention of STDs (gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis).
Participants were 15- to 39-year-old STD clinic patients in Denver, Long
Beach, and Newark. RESULTS: Booster counseling was completed by 1120 (67.8%)
of 1653 assigned to receive it. An incident STD during the 6 to 12 months
after initial counseling (and within the 6 months after scheduled booster
counseling) was detected in 141 of 1653 (8.5%) participants in the booster
counseling group and 144 of 1644 (8.8%) in the no-booster group (relative
risk, 0.97; 95% confidence interval, 0.78-1.22). Three months after booster
counseling, sexual risk behaviors were reported less frequently by the booster
group than the no-booster group. CONCLUSIONS: Booster counseling 6 months
after HIV testing and counseling reduced reported sexual risk behavior but
did not prevent STDs.