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Intervention Description
Intervention Package Information
Evaluation Study and Results
References and Contact Information
Intervention Description
Target Population
Inner-city STD clinic patients
Goals of Intervention
- Increase condom use
- Prevent new STD infections
Brief Description
Doing Something Different
consists of one single skill-building
group session to encourage change in
norms, expectations, and social skills
for promoting safer sex and condom use.
The intervention session begins with a
video, “Let’s Do Something Different,”
which depicts condom use as socially
acceptable. After the video an
African-American female health educator
facilitates a group discussion (10-25
participants) on methods of preventing
STDs and promoting condom use. This
discussion includes the reasons why
people like and dislike condoms.
Role-playing gives the clinic patients
an opportunity to practice condom
negotiation, first with the health
educator and then with another patient.
Questions relating to medical aspects of
STDs are referred to clinic nursing and
medical personnel. All participants are
offered 10 free condoms by clinic
nurses. |
Theoretic Basis
Not Reported
Intervention Duration
One-session
Intervention Settings
Waiting area of an inner-city public STD
clinic
Deliverer
African American female health educator
Delivery Methods
- Demonstration
- Group Discussions
- Practice
- Printed Materials
- Risk Reduction Supplies
- Role plays
- Video
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Intervention Package Information
An intervention package is currently available from
Sociometrics, Inc.
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Evaluation Study and Results
The original evaluation was conducted in
Los Angeles, California between 1988 and
1989.
Key Intervention Effects
- Reduced STD reinfection risk
Study Sample
The baseline study sample of 123 participants is characterized by the
following:
- 92% African American, 8% Other
- 97% heterosexual, 3% homosexual
or bisexual
- 71% Male, 29% Female
- Mean age of 28 years
Recruitment Settings
Inner-city public STD clinic
Eligibility Criteria
Patients were eligible if they were
registered at the STD clinic during the
study period.
Assignment Method
STD clinic patients (N ≈ 500) were assigned to 1 of 2 groups:
intervention (n ≈ 250) and comparison (n ≈
250), based on alternating days and times
(AM or PM) of clinic attendance.
Comparison Group
The comparison group received usual
services available at the STD clinic and 10
free condoms.
Relevant Outcomes Measured and Follow-up Time
STD reinfection risk was an
indicator of risk measured as having either
an STD diagnosis (gonorrhea, syphilis,
chlamydia, nongonococcal urethritis, herpes,
or pelvic inflammatory disease), physical
symptoms at subsequent medical exams, or
unprotected sex with a person with an STD.
STD reinfection risk was assessed by
reviewing medical charts for the 7- to
9-months period after intervention.
Participant Retention
Passive follow-up was conducted by
reviewing medical charts, with an overall
success rate of 77% for the 7 to 9 months
after intervention.
Significant Findings
- A significantly smaller percentage
of intervention participants reported
any STD reinfection risk than comparison
participants at 7 to 9 months after
intervention (p < .05).
- Among male STD clinic patients, a
significantly smaller percentage of
intervention participants reported any
STD reinfection risk than comparison
participants at 7 to 9 months after
intervention (p < .01).
Considerations
- This intervention fails to meet the best-evidence criteria due to
assigning groups of individuals (e.g. morning patients or afternoon
patients) to study condition while analyzing at the individual level.
- The significant intervention effect observed for the whole study sample
is primarily driven by the intervention effect for men. There was no
evidence that the intervention was effective in reducing STD reinfection
risk among female STD clinic patients.
- This intervention is similar to the
VOICES/VOCES intervention on various aspects: intervention goal, target
population, intervention setting, group-delivery format, and same
intervention video (“Let’s Do Something Different”). The main difference is
that the Doing Something Different intervention has an additional
role playing activity. The intervention package and training are available
for the VOICES/VOCES intervention through CDC’s REP and
DEBI
projects.
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References and Contact Information
- Cohen, D. A.; MacKinnon, D. P.; Dent, C.; Mason, H. R.; & Sullivan, E. (1992). Group counseling at STD clinics to promote use of condoms. Public Health Reports, 107, 727-731.
Researcher: Dr. Deborah A. Cohen
RAND Corporation
1776 Main Street
P.O. Box 2138
Santa Monica, CA 90407-2138
email: dcohen@rand.org
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