HIV Prevention Among Latino MSM: Evaluation of a Locally Developed Intervention

Wake Forest University is partnering with Chatham Social Health Council to conduct a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of Hombres Ofreciendo Liderazgo y Apoyo (HOLA) en Grupos (Men Giving Leadership and Support in Groups) HIV risk behavior intervention for Latino men who have sex with men (MSM), ages 18 and over, in rural North Carolina.

The Spanish language HOLA en Grupos was developed by the Chatham Social Health Council in close collaboration and partnership with the local Latino community, including Latino MSM, and representatives from a local community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnership that has been in existence for nearly ten years, and has been delivered by the Council to Latino MSM in an area the includes 6 largely rural counties for two years.

HOLA en Grupos consists of four 4-hour group sessions that combine presentations by facilitators who are trained Latino MSM community members, activities, and scenes from a DVD, and is delivered over a period of two weeks to groups of about 10 participants. HOLA en Grupos was designed to increase HIV prevention knowledge, condom use and mastery, decrease barriers to risk reduction (e.g., health-compromising aspects of machismo), enhance sexual negotiation skills, and increase use of HIV testing, counseling, and treatment services among intervention participants.

The Spanish language comparison condition consists of four 4-hour group sessions designed to increase participants' knowledge about cancer, diabetes, alcohol abuse, and cardiovascular disease, and is delivered over a period of two weeks to groups of about 10 participants. The content focus of the comparison condition reflects the desire of community partners to provide this type of information to community members.

A total of 300 Latino MSM (150 per condition) will be screened and if eligible, recruited in waves of 20 men (10 per condition). Eligible individuals must self-identify as Latino or Hispanic, be ≥ 18 years of age, report MSM behavior since age ≥ 18, and provide informed consent. Individuals who have participated in the HOLA en Grupos, or interventions for Latino heterosexual men (HoMBReS or HoMBReS-2), will be excluded from the study. Study assessments will be conducted at baseline and 6-month follow-up.

Inclusion criteria

• Male gender
• Self-identify as Latino or Hispanic
• 18 years of age or older
• Speak Spanish
• Have had sex with another man since attaining age 18
• Have not participated in HOLA, HOLA en Grupos, HoMBReS or other Latino Partnership interventions developed and delivered by the Chatham Social Health Council or Wake Forest University during the past 12 months

Exclusion criteria

• Have had sex with at least one woman since attaining age 18 but who have not had sex with at least one man since attaining age 18