Teaching condom use skills: Practice is superior to observation.

As part of protocol CTN-0018 (Reducing HIV/STD Risk Behaviors: A Research Study for Men in Drug Abuse Treatment), men exposed to a condom skills practice exercise were hypothesized to perform better on condom skills measures than those exposed only to a demonstration or to no intervention at all. To measure this effect, men in participating in substance abuse treatment and enrolled in protocol CTN-0018 were administered male and female condom use skills measures (Male Condom Use Skills Measure (MCUS), and Female Condom Use Skills Measure (FCUS)) at pre-intervention, two weeks, 3 months, and 6 months post-intervention. The MCUS and FCUS scores were compared for three intervention exposure groups (demonstration only [DO, n=149], demonstration plus practice [D+P; n=112], and attended no sessions [NS, n=139]) across the four assessment time points using a mixed effects linear regression model. There is a statistically significant intervention group-by-time effect (p<.0001) for both the MCUS and FCUS. Post hoc, pairwise linear trends across time indicated that for both the MCUS and the FCUS, the D+P group is significantly superior to the DO group and the NS group. Consistent with findings from previous research conducted in other settings, men in this study who were in substance abuse treatment could effectively be taught correct male and female condom use skills and maintain those skills for up to six months.

Related protocols: CTN-0018