A Group-level Intervention to Reduce HIV/STI Risk for Women Who Have Sex With Women in Calgary and Toronto
- Conditions
- Safer Sex
- Interventions
- Behavioral: Adapted Many Men, Many Voices (3MV) group level interventionBehavioral: A group-based HIV/STI prevention intervention for women who have sex with women
- Registration Number
- NCT02067845
- Lead Sponsor
- University of Toronto
- Brief Summary
The limited research that exists suggests that lesbian, bisexual and queer (LBQ) women are at similar risk for sexually transmitted infections (STI) as heterosexual women. This is a particularly important area to address, as literature highlights the convergence of sexual stigma and gender-based sexual violence as elevating LBQ women's risk for HIV and STI infection. However, recent Statistics Canada data indicated that: lesbians reported significantly lower rates of Pap testing than heterosexual or bisexual women; lesbians and bisexual women had higher odds of not having a regular doctor than heterosexual women; and bisexual women had higher reported unmet health care needs than lesbian and heterosexual women. These differences highlight the importance of implementing and evaluating interventions to address STI risk among LBQ women; however, no published study exists of this nature. A STI prevention intervention will be implemented with groups of LBQ women and WSW in Toronto and Calgary. The study has 5 distinct components: 1) key informant interviews to inform the development of the intervention training manual and survey questionnaire, 2) pre-test; 3) intervention (6 group sessions during a weekend retreat); 4) post-test directly following intervention, and 5) follow-up post-tests at 6 and 12 weeks. The study hypothesis is that, compared to pre-intervention, participants who receive the group-based intervention will report an increase in sexually transmitted infections (STI) knowledge post-intervention. The secondary hypotheses are that, compared with pre-intervention, participants will demonstrate higher mean scores of (a) safer sex self-efficacy; (b) STI testing; (c) safer sex practices; (d) resilient coping, (e) self-esteem, (f) social provisions, (g) community connectedness and (h) access to health care. We anticipated that compared to pre-intervention, participants post-intervention would report lower mean scores of (a) depression and (b) internalized stigma.
- Detailed Description
This is a single-centre pragmatic N-of-1 pilot study. The target population is LBQ women in Calgary and Toronto, Canada. The authors aim to recruit 40 participants using purposive peer-driven recruitment methods. LBQ women from agencies that serve LBQ women will deliver the intervention. A survey will be conducted at pre and post-intervention to evaluate the impact of the intervention. Paired-sample t-tests will be used to assess pre- and post- intervention differences in sexual risk behaviour outcomes (safer sex practices, safer sex self-efficacy), protective factors (resilient coping, HIV/STI knowledge and testing) and social-structural determinants (social support, access to health care, internalized sexual stigma) directly following the intervention and 3 months post-intervention. Logistic and linear generalized estimating equation (GEE) regression models will be used to assess intervention effects for the follow-up period of 3 months to control for repeated within-subject measurements.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- Female
- Target Recruitment
- 44
- Self-identified lesbian, bisexual, queer, or women who have sex with women
- Over 18 years old who
- Are capable of providing informed consent
- Are interested in attending a weekend retreat with 6 group sessions and 3 month follow up
- Live in the greater Calgary and Toronto area.
- Below 18 years old
- Does not identify as lesbian, bisexual or queer or a WSW
- Insufficient interest/attention to attend the group sessions.
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- SINGLE_GROUP
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Pre-post test design Adapted Many Men, Many Voices (3MV) group level intervention - Pre-post test design A group-based HIV/STI prevention intervention for women who have sex with women -
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method STI knowledge 3 months Sexually Transmitted Disease Knowledge Questionnaire (STD-KQ)
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Access to care 3 months Participants will responded to questions asking if they had ever received (i) an HIV test and (ii) an STI test (not including HIV). Participants also responded to questions asking if they had ever experienced the following barriers to accessing health care: (i) cost travel, (ii) cost medications and (iii) belief that their HCP was not comfortable with their sexual orientation. Follow up surveys will ask if participants had received an HIV or STI test in the past 4 weeks.
Safer sex self-efficacy 3 months A modified Condom Use Self Efficacy Scale, for enhanced appropriateness for LBQ women
STI and HIV incidence 3 months Self-reported HIV/STI testing history and incidence (lifetime and in past 3 months)
Resilient coping 3 months Brief Resilient Coping Scale
Self-Esteem 3 months Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale
Safer sex practices 3 months Safer Sexual Practices among Lesbian Women' Scale
Social Provisions 3 months Social Provisions Scale
Sexual stigma 3 months Homophobia Scale
Internalized sexual stigma 3 months Revised Internalized Homophobia Scale (IHP-R)
Depression 3 months Patient Health Questionnaire 2
Trial Locations
- Locations (2)
Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary
🇨🇦Calgary, Alberta, Canada
University of Toronto, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work
🇨🇦Toronto, Ontario, Canada