The proposed ERG is a collaborative effort of three agencies, Alta Med, a provider of primary medical care and social services and a Community Based Organization; PROTOTYPES, a center for innovation in health, mental health and social services; and Research Support Services, a statistical and research consulting firm. The study's target population consists of the sex partners of Latino injection drug using men and women not currently in treatment. The study will focus on the greater East Los Angeles area, a largely Hispanic population among whom the reported incidence of AIDS is nearly triple that among the white population. The study is designed to: (1) assess the efficacy of two interventions whose goal is the reduction of sexual behaviors posing a high risk of HIV/AIDS transmission; (2) assess gender differences in the efficacy of the interventions; (3) assess the impact of behavioral contracting; (4) monitor high risk sexual behaviors over a six month period and assess changes in HIV seropositivity relative to sexual risk behaviors reported at intake. The two interventions evaluated are the """"""""problem posing"""""""" method, based on the work of Paulo Freire, and the """"""""information only"""""""" method. In the problem posing method a health educator poses questions to the group designed to encourage thought and discussion regarding how the AIDS epidemic has effected their lives. Group members then devise their own solutions to the problems raised. In the """"""""information only"""""""" method participants are exposed to audio visual presentations of AIDS prevention and transmission information, but no interactive component is included. It is hypothesized that both interventions will produce more favorable outcomes than the standard CDC intervention and that the problem posing method will out perform the information only method. Hypotheses regarding gender differences in the efficacy of the interventions and the effects of behavioral contracting on the reduction in risk related behavior are also investigated.
