HIV Prevention Intervention for Young Transgender Women (LifeSkills)

The purpose of this study is to test the efficacy of a uniquely targeted HIV risk reduction intervention for young transgender women (YTW), ages 16 to 29, at risk for HIV acquisition or transmission.

The purpose of this study is to test the efficacy of a uniquely targeted HIV risk reduction intervention for young transgender women (YTW), ages 16 to 29, at risk for HIV acquisition or transmission. The study will test this intervention in a three-arm randomized controlled trial in two major U.S. cities with excellent access to and research experience with the population (Chicago, Boston). We will enroll at risk YTW, ages 16-29; two-fifths of the sample randomized to the intervention will participate in the 6-session group-based and manualized Life Skills intervention; two-fifths will be randomized to the standard-of-care (SOC) control condition; and one-fifth will be randomized to the time-matched attention control condition and receive standard health promotion information in a group-based multi-session format. All three arms will receive HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) (Chlamydia and gonorrhea) testing and pre-posttest risk reduction counseling (i.e., SOC). Sexual risk will be assessed at baseline, 4, 8 and 12 months post-randomization. Our specific aims are: 1) to determine the efficacy of the Life Skills intervention in comparison to a SOC arm and a time-matched attention control on the primary outcome: number of unprotected anal and vaginal sex acts in the previous 4 months among YTW, ages 16-29; and 2) to examine the degree to which improvements in sexual risk taking are mediated by the conceptual mediators of the intervention: transgender adaptation and integration, collective self-esteem/empowerment, information (HIV knowledge), motivation (attitudes, norms, and intentions for safer sex), and behavioral skills (discussing sex and condom use with sexual partners, acquiring and using condoms); and to explore whether reductions in sexual risk are associated with epidemiologically-linked moderators of sexual risk behavior: age, race/ethnicity, and psychosocial factors. An additional exploratory aim is to describe the prevalence of HIV and STIs in the community recruited sample; in the SOC arm, we will assess the natural trajectory of sexual risk behavior and the acquisition of HIV and STIs (incidence rate) in YTW over a 12-month follow-up period.