Preventing Health Damaging Behaviors in Male and Female Army Recruits

The primary hypotheses to be tested in this research are as follows. AIT soldiers participating in the experimental STI/UIP prevention intervention will: (a) have increased knowledge about the risk factors for and prevention of STIs, UIPs, alcohol and other substances, and intimate partner violence (IPV); (b) be more highly motivated to change risk behaviors associated with STIs and UIPs; (c) have higher levels of skills to prevent risk behaviors associated with STIs and UIPs and skills; (d) engage in more health promoting behaviors and fewer risk behaviors associated with STIs and UIPs, and (e) have fewer STIs and UIPs post-intervention compared with AIT solders who participate in a comparable control intervention focused on increasing healthy eating, maintaining physical fitness, and preventing fitness-related injuries.

The overall goal of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness a cognitive-behavioral skills-building intervention to prevent risk for and acquisition of STIs and UIPs and will seek to reduce a number of their associated risk factors including, alcohol misuse, other substance use, IPV in AIT soldiers. Specifically, we will evaluate whether AIT soldiers who participate in the experimental intervention entitled, Staying Safe and in Control: Increasing Knowledge and Building Skills to Prevent Sexually Transmitted Infections and Unintended Pregnancies will reduce their risk for and acquisition of STIs, UIPs and their associated sexual and substance use behaviors compared with AIT soldiers who undergo the control intervention entitled, Fit You: Practical Tools for Healthy Eating, Physical Fitness, and Injury Prevention. This intervention will focus primarily on promoting healthy eating, maintaining physical fitness, and preventing work-related and exercise injury.