A randomized controlled trial to evaluate the relative efficacy of adding voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) to information dissemination in reducing HIV-related risk behaviors among Hong Kong male cross-border truck drivers

Abstract

Mobile populations are vulnerable to contracting HIV. The present study aims to evaluate the relative efficacy of the voluntary counseling and testing plus information dissemination (VCT-ID) approach versus the information dissemination (ID) approach for promoting HIV preventive behaviors in a mobile population, cross-border truck drivers. A total of 301 adult male cross-border truck drivers who self-reported having had sex with female sex workers (FSW) or non-regular sex partners (NRPs) in mainland China in the last 12 months were recruited and randomized into the VCT-ID intervention group (Group I) or ID control group (Group C). Anonymous structured questionnaires, administered through a computer-assisted method, were used to collect data. At the follow-up survey (about 8-9 weeks since the baseline survey), Group I participants, as compared to Group C participants, were more likely to be consistent condom users when having sex with FSW (85.5% versus 68.5%, p<0.05) and with NRP (54.8% versus 36.4%, p<0.1), more knowledgeable about HIV, and were less likely to have contracted sexually transmitted diseases (STD) in the last two months. The VCT-ID approach is shown to be more efficacious than the ID approach in promoting safer sex and HIV-related knowledge among local cross-border truck drivers. Feasibility of providing voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) services at locations which are convenient to the target population is demonstrated. It also shows that VCT services can be used as a means of HIV prevention. The findings of this study resulted in up-scaled VCT services for the local target population.

A pilot clustered randomized control trial evaluating the efficacy of a network-based HIV peer-education intervention targeting men who have sex with men in Hong Kong, China

“…The method has been used in other published RCT studies (Hao et al, 2011;Lau, Tsui, Cheng, & Pang, 2010). Statistical analysis was performed by using SPSS for Windows 16.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) and pB0.05 was taken as statistically significant.…”

HIV prevalence and risk in long-distance truck drivers in South Africa: a national cross-sectional survey

“…[10][11][12] Truck drivers may have limited access to health services and commodities, including prompt and effective treatment of STI, condoms, and other prevention interventions, while on the road. [13][14][15] Truck drivers in South Africa are an important group for targeted HIV interventions. The spread of HIV in South Africa has been attributed in part to efficient transport networks which have linked areas and populations of high prevalence to those of lower prevalence, leading to subsequent dissemination of HIV within the general population.…”

Determinants of condom uptake among HIV voluntary counselling and testing clients: experiences from a hospital-based study in south India

“…Some studies have linked HIV counselling and testing to significant increases in condom use [3,4], including increases of up to 50 percentage points [5], but these dramatic results are offset by other studies that show a much smaller effect [6], [7], [8]. This body of research indicates that the impact of counselling and testing on subsequent condom use may vary by individuals' and partners' serostatus, gender and risk group, with more successful results shown among serodiscordant couples [5], female sex workers [9,10] and truck drivers [11]; less successful results among HIV negative clients [12]; and mixed results among HIV positive men who have sex with men [13,14]. There is also evidence that gender moderates the relationship between HIV positivity and increased condom use [15].…”

“…While many studies have shown increases in condom use over a follow-up period of over 6 months [3], [4], [5], [10], [16], [17], [18], [19], several studies have also shown increases over shorter periods of time. Researchers have found increases in condom use among truck drivers after one to two months [11], men who have sex with men after 12 weeks [14], and Indian men and Americans visiting STD clinics [3,10] as well as intravenous drug users (IDUs) [20], after 6 months.…”