Relationship Education and HIV Prevention for Young Male Couples Administered Online via Videoconference: Protocol for a National Randomized Controlled Trial of 2GETHER
Relationship Education and HIV Prevention for Young Male Couples Administered Online via Videoconference: Protocol for a National Randomized Controlled Trial of 2GETHER
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DOI：
10.2196/15883
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发表时间：
2020-01-01
影响因子：
1.7
通讯作者：
Whitton, Sarah W.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Newcomb, Michael E.;Sarno, Elissa L.;Whitton, Sarah W.
背景：男男性行为的年轻男子艾滋病毒感染率很高，很大一部分偶发感染发生在主要伙伴关系的背景下。然而，浪漫的关系也为个人的健康和幸福提供了许多好处。2GETHER是一项针对年轻男性伴侣的关系教育和艾滋病预防计划，2GETHER USA的随机对照试验（RCT）是为了确定2GETHER在线版本的有效性而启动的。目的：2GETHER的目的是优化年轻男性伴侣的关系功能，作为一种改善性危险行为沟通和减少艾滋病毒传播的方法。在2GETHER USA的研究中，2GETHER被改编为通过视频会议对美国各地的夫妇进行在线管理。上述干预措施旨在解决来自不同种族/族裔背景和地理区域的夫妇的独特需求。方法：这是一项2GETHER USA相对于现有公共卫生实践（对照）的比较有效性的随机对照试验。2GETHER USA是一个混合的团体和个人层面的干预，每周提供三次在线小组讨论，以传授技能，然后是两次个性化的夫妻会议，重点关注每对夫妇的技能实施。对照条件因参与者的HIV感染状况而异：(1)HIV阴性夫妇的“一起检测”方案；(2)对hiv阳性夫妻进行药物依从性和降低风险咨询；或(3)血清不一致夫妇的两种方案。在两种情况下均在干预后3、6、9和12个月进行随访评估。在基线和12个月随访时进行直肠和尿道衣原体和淋病检测。主要行为结果是与血清不一致的严重伴侣或任何随意伴侣进行无安全套肛交。主要的生物医学结果是12个月随访期间的性传播感染发生率。结果：截至2019年10月11日，该试验已入组并随机分组140对（个体N=280）。登记将继续进行，直到我们随机抽取200对（N=400）。在3个月、6个月、9个月和12个月对干预结果进行评估。结论：2together的创新之处在于它将关系教育和艾滋病毒预防结合起来，以优化年轻男性伴侣的健康和福祉。“2together USA”的在线改编版有可能覆盖美国各地的夫妇，并减少获得医疗保健服务的障碍，这些服务是对生活在农村或资源不足地区的性少数群体身份的肯定。
Background: Young men who have sex with men have a high HIV incidence, and a substantial proportion of incident infections occur in the context of main partnerships. However, romantic relationships also provide numerous benefits to individual health and wellbeing. 2GETHER is a relationship education and HIV prevention program for young male couples, and the 2GETHER USA randomized controlled trial (RCT) was launched to establish the efficacy of an online version of 2GETHER.Objective: The objective of 2GETHER is to optimize relationship functioning in young male couples as a method to improve communication about sexual risk behaviors and reduce HIV transmission. In the 2GETHER USA study, 2GETHER was adapted for online administration to couples across the United States via videoconferencing. The intervention in question aims to address the unique needs of couples from varied racial/ethnic backgrounds and geographic regions.Methods: This is a comparative effectiveness RCT of 2GETHER USA relative to existing public health practice (control). 2GETHER USA is a hybrid group- and individual-level intervention that delivers three weekly online group discussion sessions for skills delivery, followed by two individualized couple sessions that focus on skills implementation in each couple. The control condition differs by participant HIV status: (1) the Testing Together protocol for concordant HIV-negative couples; (2) medication adherence and risk reduction counseling for concordant HIV-positive couples; or (3) both protocols for serodiscordant couples. Follow-up assessments are delivered at 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-months post-intervention in both conditions. Testing for rectal and urethral Chlamydia and Gonorrhea occurs at baseline and 12-month follow-up. The primary behavioral outcome is condomless anal sex with serodiscordant serious partners or any casual partners. The primary biomedical outcome is sexually transmitted infection incidence at a 12-month follow-up.Results: As of October 11, 2019, the trial has enrolled and randomized 140 dyads (Individual N=280). Enrollment will continue until we randomize 200 dyads (N=400). Assessment of intervention outcomes at 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-months is ongoing.Conclusions: 2GETHER is innovative in that it integrates relationship education and HIV prevention for optimizing the health and wellbeing of young male couples. The 2GETHER USA online adaptation has the potential to reach couples across the United States and reduce barriers to accessing health care services that are affirming of sexual minority identities for those who live in rural or under-resourced areas.