The Talking Sex Project: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial of Small-Group AIDS Education for 612 Gay and Bisexual Men

The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of two different kinds of AIDS risk reduction programs for gay and bisexual men practicing sexual behavior at all ranges of risk for transmission of HIV: Six hundred and twelve gay and bisexual men were recruited and randomly assigned to either: (a) singlesession groups led by trained volunteer peers, (b) four-session groups led by paid counselors, or (c) waiting-list control groups. Self-administered questionnaires measured knowledge of AIDS risk, attitudes toward AIDS and sexual practices, and sexual behavior prior to randomization and three months postintervention. Dropouts (18%o) included subjects who did not complete the follow-up data collection. There was an overall shift toward safer sex over time which was strongest for the single-session group, but the effect was not related to group assignments. The changes in knowledge of AIDS risk and the attitude Condom Efficacy were significantly higherfor individuals in the two treatment groups than for the controls.