Abstract: A Randomized Control Trial of an Intervention Focusing on HIV and Drug Abuse Prevention for High Risk South African Men (Society for Prevention Research 26th Annual Meeting)

Schedule:

Thursday, May 31, 2018

Columbia A/B (Hyatt Regency Washington, Washington, DC)

* noted as presenting author

Mary Jane Rotheram-Borus, PhD, Professor, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA

Mark Tomlinson, PhD, Professor, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa

Jason Bantjes, PhD, Lecturer, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa

W. Scott Comulada, DRPh, Assistant Professor-in-Residence, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA

Dallas Swendeman, PhD, Executive Director, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA

Stephan Rabie, PhD, Research Assistant, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa

Global initiatives have been mobilized to reduce girls’ risk for acquiring HIV, eliminate perinatal HIV transmission, and increase the length and quality of the lives of women. Even though women predominately acquire HIV from their male partners, there are few such initiatives for men. In South African, young men face concurrent epidemics of HIV, drug and alcohol abuse, and unemployment. Standard HIV prevention programs, centred in healthcare settings and/or with counselling models, currently fail to engage men. This study addresses a gender-specific HIV prevention strategy for South African men through the context of soccer and vocational training. Young men (N = 1350) were randomly assigned by neighbourhood (n = 30 neighbourhoods) to one of three conditions: 1) soccer league (n = 450; 10 neighbourhoods); 2) soccer league plus vocational training (n = 450; 10 neighbourhoods); or a 3) control condition (n = 450; 10 neighbourhoods). Soccer League practices/games occur three times weekly, while vocational training is delivered through Silulo Ulutho Technologies, a South African information communication technology company, and Zenzele Training and Development, a community-based organization situated in Cape Town, South Africa. At baseline, 6 months, 12 months and 24 months, the relative efficacy of these strategies to increase adherence to the HIV Prevention and Treatment Continuum, reduce substance abuse, and increase employment will be assessed. Both interventions are expected to significantly benefit men compared to the control condition. Global donor agencies are focused on women’s prevention strategies. However, women’s risk is related to their male partnerships. Men need gender-specific intervention strategies and sites to reduce HIV and substance abuse risks. Yet, men in groups can provoke and encourage greater risk-taking among themselves. The current study evaluates a male-based strategy to influence men’s risk for HIV, as well as improve men’s ability to contribute to family income and daily routines.

Abstract: A Randomized Control Trial of an Intervention Focusing on HIV and Drug Abuse Prevention for High Risk South African Men (Society for Prevention Research 26th Annual Meeting)

362 A Randomized Control Trial of an Intervention Focusing on HIV and Drug Abuse Prevention for High Risk South African Men