NCT03575585

Brief Summary

Prior research has shown that many individuals with substance use disorders engage in HIV/sexual risk behaviors, and could strongly benefit from HIV prevention interventions that were delivered as part of their substance abuse treatment. However, discussions about sexual risk are not occurring at an appropriate frequency in treatment settings. This project will test the effects of counselor training and coaching, combined with a brief assessment and feedback tool, on counselor-patient communication about sex and on patient sexual risk behavior.

Trial Health

100
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
537

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for phase_2

Timeline
Completed

Started Jun 2015

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Start

First participant enrolled

June 1, 2015

Completed
2.5 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

December 1, 2017

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

December 1, 2017

Completed
4 months until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

April 11, 2018

Completed
3 months until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

July 2, 2018

Completed
Last Updated

July 2, 2018

Status Verified

June 1, 2018

Enrollment Period

2.5 years

First QC Date

April 11, 2018

Last Update Submit

June 28, 2018

Conditions

Keywords

HIVCounselor Skills TrainingBehavioral InterventionPersonalized Feedback Report

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

  • Patient unprotected sexual occasions

    Number of unprotected sexual occasions, measured via self-report on the BEST assessment for the prior 90 days

    3-month follow-up

  • Patient unprotected sexual occasions

    Number of unprotected sexual occasions, measured via self-report on the BEST assessment for the prior 90 days

    6-month follow-up

  • Discussions of sex during counseling session

    Patient report of number of counseling sessions in past 90 days in which sexual risk was discussed with patients

    3-month follow-up

Secondary Outcomes (10)

  • Patient sexual partners

    3- and 6-month follow-up

  • Patient unprotected sexual occasions with a casual partner

    3- and 6-month follow-up

  • Combining sex and drugs

    3- and 6-month follow-up

  • Patient attitudes toward condoms

    3- and 6-month follow-up

  • Patient HIV transmission knowledge

    3- and 6-month follow-up

  • +5 more secondary outcomes

Study Arms (4)

Comparator: No Feedback, Standard Counselor

EXPERIMENTAL

Patient assigned to a Standard Training counselor, completed the BEST assessment, but did NOT receive a feedback report.

Behavioral: BEST assessment onlyBehavioral: Standard Counselor Training

Active1: Feedback, Standard Counselor

EXPERIMENTAL

Patient assigned to a Standard Training counselor, completed the BEST assessment, and received a personalized feedback report.

Behavioral: BEST assessment plus feedback reportBehavioral: Standard Counselor Training

Active2: No feedback, Enhanced Counselor

EXPERIMENTAL

Patient assigned to a Enhanced Training counselor, completed the BEST assessment, but did NOT receive a feedback report.

Behavioral: BEST assessment onlyBehavioral: Enhanced Counselor Training

Active3: Feedback, Enhanced Counselor

EXPERIMENTAL

Patient assigned to a Enhanced Training counselor, completed the BEST assessment, and received a personalized feedback report.

Behavioral: BEST assessment plus feedback reportBehavioral: Enhanced Counselor Training

Interventions

Patients complete the BEST assessment, a self-report measure containing questions about patients' substance use, sexual risk behaviors, and partner risk levels.

Also known as: No Feedback
Active2: No feedback, Enhanced CounselorComparator: No Feedback, Standard Counselor

Patients complete the BEST assessment, a self-report measure containing questions about patients' substance use, sexual risk behaviors, and partner risk levels. Based on their responses they also receive a personalized feedback report that .provides individualized risk levels in five behavior domains: 1) number of partners, 2) riskiness of partners, 3) condom use, 4) riskiness of sex acts, and 5) sex under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Also known as: Feedback
Active1: Feedback, Standard CounselorActive3: Feedback, Enhanced Counselor

2 hours of training on how to use the BEST patient feedback report

Also known as: Standard Training
Active1: Feedback, Standard CounselorComparator: No Feedback, Standard Counselor

Standard training (2 hrs) plus 8 additional hours (4 modules) of motivation/skills training on a) talking about sex with patients, b) basics of using Motivational Interviewing techniques to review a feedback report, c) teaching patients problem solving skills, and d) teaching patients relationship communication skills.

Also known as: Enhanced Training
Active2: No feedback, Enhanced CounselorActive3: Feedback, Enhanced Counselor

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersYes
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Admitted to substance use disorder treatment in the prior 45 days,
  • Age 18 years or older
  • Plan to remain in the local area for the next three months
  • Assigned to a treatment counselor enrolled in the study.

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Related Publications (1)

  • Hatch MA, Wells EA, Masters T, Beadnell B, Harwick R, Wright L, Peavy M, Ricardo-Bulis E, Wiest K, Shriver C, Baer JS. A randomized clinical trial evaluating the impact of counselor training and patient feedback on substance use disorder patients' sexual risk behavior. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2022 Sep;140:108826. doi: 10.1016/j.jsat.2022.108826. Epub 2022 Jun 16.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Risk-TakingUnsafe SexSubstance-Related DisordersRisk Reduction Behavior

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

BehaviorSexual BehaviorChemically-Induced DisordersMental Disorders

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
phase 2
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
FACTORIAL
Model Details: This is a 2 x 2 nested factorial design clinical trial. Counselors were randomized to 1) Standard training \[2 hours on using a BEST feedback report\] or 2) Enhanced training \[Standard + 8 hours on discussing sexual risk with patients + monthly coaching\]. Patients of participating counselors completed the BEST assessment and were randomized to receive no feedback or a personalized BEST feedback report, and were followed up at 3-, and 6-months (patients). Counselors were assessed at baseline, post-training and 3-months.
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

April 11, 2018

First Posted

July 2, 2018

Study Start

June 1, 2015

Primary Completion

December 1, 2017

Study Completion

December 1, 2017

Last Updated

July 2, 2018

Record last verified: 2018-06

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will share

The investigative team will make available copies of the BEST survey items, pseudocode for the BEST feedback report, and the counselor training curriculum to other researchers wanting to evaluate their usefulness. Data for this project will consist of quantitative data from patient and counselor assessments. We plan to make the data available to other researchers using two data sharing methods suggested by the NIH Data Sharing Policy brochure. First, we plan to publish information on processes and findings in a timely manner in appropriate peer- reviewed journals that are available online or through requests for copies made directly to the author(s). We will also respond to data requests made directly to the Principal Investigators by removing all identifying information from the data and making them available on a CD-ROM or by posting them on a secure web site. These data will be available at the end of the project after our primary outcome paper is published.

Shared Documents
STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, ICF
Time Frame
Data will be available at the end of the project after our primary outcome paper is published.
Access Criteria
Requests can be made to the Principal Investigators.