Aims

This study assessed the effectiveness of HERMITAGE (HIV's Evolution in Russia-Mitigating Infection Transmission and Alcoholism in a Growing Epidemic), an adapted secondary HIV prevention intervention, compared with an attention control condition in decreasing sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and sex and drug risk behaviors among Russian HIV-infected heavy drinkers.

Design

We conducted a single-blinded, two-armed, randomized controlled trial with 12-month follow-up.

Setting

The study was conducted in St Petersburg, Russia. Participants were recruited from four HIV and addiction clinical sites. The intervention was conducted at Botkin Infectious Disease Hospital.

Participants

HIV-infected individuals with past 6-month risky sex and heavy alcohol consumption (n = 700) were randomized to the HERMITAGE intervention (n = 350) or an attention control condition (n = 350).

Intervention

A Healthy Relationships Intervention stressing disclosure of HIV serostatus and condom use, adapted for a Russian clinical setting with two individual sessions and three small group sessions.

Measurements

The primary outcome was incident STI by laboratory test at 12-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes included change in unprotected sex and several alcohol and injection drug use (IDU) variables.

Findings

Participants had the following baseline characteristics: 59.3% male, mean age 30.1, 60.4% past year IDU, 15.4% prevalent STI and mean CD4 cell count 413.3/μl. Assessment occurred among 75 and 71% of participants at 6 and 12 months, respectively. STIs occurred in 20 subjects (8.1%) in the intervention group and 28 subjects (12.0%) in the control group at 12-month follow-up; logistic regression analyses found no significant difference between groups (adjusted odds ratio 0.63; 95% confidence interval = 0.34-1.18; P = 0.15). Both groups decreased unsafe behaviors, although no significant differences were found between groups.

Conclusions

The HERMITAGE HIV risk reduction intervention does not appear to reduce sexually transmitted infections and HIV risk behaviors in Russian HIV-infected heavy drinkers compared with attention controls.