Distribution of STD clinic patients along a stages-of-behavioral-change continuum--selected sites, 1993.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) counseling and testing are important components of the public health effort to contain the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic. Project RESPECT is a multicenter randomized trial being conducted by CDC at five sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics to evaluate the efficacy of HIV counseling interventions in preventing HIV and other STDs. Because consistent and proper use of latex condoms is one method to substantially reduce the risk for transmitting HIV and other STDs (1), the HIV prevention interventions being evaluated focus primarily on increasing consistent condom use with primary and other sex partners during vaginal and anal sex. Before initiating the randomized trial, pilot studies were conducted to better characterize the population and to develop an operationally feasible enhanced intervention. This report describes the results of one pilot study.