Examining Community-based Effectiveness of a Substance Use and HIV Risk Reduction Intervention for Young Men of Color

Not Applicable

Completed

Interventions: Behavioral: YMHP Intervention
Behavioral: Enhanced Treatment as Usual

Brief Summary: This study will conduct an effectiveness trial of the 4-session evidence-based YMHP intervention for young men who have sex with men (YMSM) of color ages 15-29 at two CBOs in New York City, compared to usual care.

Detailed Description: We will conduct a comparative effectiveness trial (CET) with two intensities of treatment to be offered following field-based HIV counseling and testing (C\&T) - the young men's health project (YMHP) intervention and an enhanced "treatment as usual" (eTAU) condition involving HIV prevention services provided at two community based organizations (CBOs) to test their relative effectiveness in reducing substance use and sexual risk behavior among HIV-negative YMSM. In collaboration with two CBOs, our goals are to better understand substance use and sexual health-related outcomes among HIV-negative YMSM who are unlikely to be treatment seeking and to implement the YMHP intervention in a way that will maximize portability and scalability. Working together with our collaborators will help to address practical problems at the frontline of service provision to pave the way for a comprehensive program to reduce substance use and HIV infection among YMSM.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria

HIV-negative test result from the past 90 days
15-29 years of age
Born biologically male or currently identifying as male
Sex with men in the past 90 days
≥ 5 days of illicit drug use in the past 90 days
≥ 1 episode of condomless anal sex (CAS) in the past 90 days, or a positive sexually transmitted infection test result in the past 90 days.
Living in the New York City area
Able to communicate in English

Exclusion Criteria

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Intervention	YMHP Intervention	The YMHP intervention is a 4 session Motivational Interviewing (MI) intervention. In session 1, youth will choose which behavior to discuss first (substance use or sexual risk behavior), and the Health Educator counselor will elicit the client's view of the problem using standard MI techniques, building motivation for change by eliciting and reinforcing change talk, and clarifying the youth's own personal goals for maintaining their sexual health/considering changes in their substance use. The second session follows the same format for the second target behavior. In the subsequent two sessions, the counselor will discuss Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake as part of a change plan, continue to elicit and reinforce change talk, problem-solve barriers, consolidate commitment, and consider strategies to maintain behavior change.
Enhanced Treatment as Usual	Enhanced Treatment as Usual	The Enhanced Treatment as Usual arm involves referring youth to standard of care services available at the community based organization for substance use and sexual health. This includes available services for Pre-exposure prophylaxis.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Condomless Anal Sex Acts	Baseline, 3-Month, 6-Month, 9-Month, 12-Month, 15-Month	The self-reported number of condomless anal sex acts with male partners in the past 90 days
Marijuana Use Days	Baseline, 3-Month, 6-Month, 9-Month, 12-Month, 15-Month	The self-reported number of marijuana use days in the past 90 days
Illicit Drug Use Days	Baseline, 3-Month, 6-Month, 9-Month, 12-Month, 15-Month	The self-reported number of illicit drug use days (not including marijuana) in the past 90 days