Risk Reduction for Urban Substance Using Men Who Have Sex With Men (MSM)

The specific aims of the 5-year study are to: 1) describe the nature and extent of substance use and sexual risk behaviors in a sample of 500 sexually active, substance using, not-in-treatment men who have sex with men (MSM) in urban South Florida (Miami/Ft. Lauderdale); 2) identify the independent covariates of baseline substance abuse and sexual risks; 3) evaluate, through random assignment of participants, the relative effectiveness of two intervention conditions in reducing sexual risks and substance use, as measured at 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up assessments: a) an innovative five-session risk reduction intervention derived from psychological empowerment theory titled Project GOAL; and, b) an enhanced community standard-of-care HIV counseling Comparison Condition.