A Randomized Controlled Trial to Reduce HIV-Related Risk in African American Men Who Have Sex with Men and Women: the Bruthas Project

African American men who have sex with men and women (MSMW) are among the populations with the highest need for HIV prevention programs in the USA. We tested a theory-based, community participatory behavioral intervention aiming to reduce sexual risk for HIV transmission in this population. A randomized clinical trial involving 396 African American MSMW who were assigned to a 4-session intervention involving HIV testing and counseling (n = 199) or to a HIV testing and counseling only (n = 197) control. In the 4-session intervention program, counselors provided education on HIV and STI risk, condom use, HIV testing, interpersonal sexual dynamics with both male and female partners, and motivational “triggers” of condomless sex. Participants completed baseline, 6-month, and 9-month assessments, and changes in HIV behavioral risk indicators were examined by condition and time. There were no statistically significant differences in sexual risk between the intervention condition and the control condition. Regardless of condition, participants reported significant reductions in mean number of condomless sex events with female casual partners from baseline (6.04) to 6 months (2.58) and 9 months (1.47), and with male casual partners from baseline (2.61) to 6 months (1.18) and 9 months (0.60). Condition-by-time interaction effects and condition main effects were non-significant. Although there were no significant differences by condition, findings support the effects of brief behavioral counseling and HIV testing on reducing condomless sex with casual female and male partners among African American MSMW. Future research should examine further the potential for brief behavioral counseling to promote biomedical HIV prevention and to reduce co-morbid health issues such as substance use among African American MSMW.