Utilization of the Community Popular Opinion Leader (C-POL) Model in Alabama

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Risk Behavior; Sexually Transmitted Diseases

• Registration Number: NCT00260754
• Lead Sponsor: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Brief Summary

Community members within the treatment city will report: 1)engaging in fewer sexual risk practices; 2)significantly higher condom use; 3) significantly higher rates of STD care seeking (including STD screening behaviors); 4) fewer having STDs in the past 6 months; 5) significantly higher awareness scores regarding syphilis and other STDs, as compared with those in the comparison city.

Detailed Description

The C-POL in Alabama project is and intervention study which sought to impact the health behaviors of community residents who live in zip codes that have high syphilis morbidity. The study is being implemented in Birmingham and Montgomery with shelter clients.

The intervention model used for this study is the Popular Opinion Leader (POL) model, which is effective at reducing new HIV infections. The intent of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a diffusion model (e.g. POL) at reducing syphilis infections in affected communities.

For the intervention, community members identified as popular opinion leaders were recruited and trained to share accurate information about syphilis transmission, symptoms, testing, treatment and prevention. Prior to intervention implementation and several times after, community members were given a survey and screened for syphilis as well as 2-3 additional STDs. During each assessment, cross-sections of the community members were sampled.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2002-10
• Study Completion: 2005-07
• Status Verified: 2005-12
• Study First Submitted: 2005-12-01
• Study First Submitted QC: 2005-12-01
• Study First Posted: 2005-12-02
• Last Update Submitted: 2006-05-30
• Last Update Posted: 2006-05-31

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 600

Inclusion Criteria

• Clients who utilized two community homeless shelters in the affected community. The affected community was one that had significant syphilis morbidity at the onset of the study.

Exclusion Criteria

• None

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: FACTORIAL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Changes in syphilis morbidity in affected community

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Changes in risk behavior and health care seeking behavior

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Alabama, Birmingham; 🇺🇸 Birmingham, Alabama, United States