Preventing Health Damaging Behaviors in Male and Female Army Recruits

Alcohol and Other Substance Use Prevention Clinical Trial

Official title:

Preventing Health Damaging Behaviors in Male and Female Army Recruits

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Terminated

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT01234103
• Other study ID #: W81XWH-04-1-0159
• Status: Terminated
• Phase: N/A
• First received: November 3, 2010
• Last updated: August 24, 2017
• Start date: September 2010
• Est. completion date: June 2013

Study information

• Verified date: August 2017
• Source: United States Department of Defense
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Health damaging (risk) behaviors of young military personnel are reflections of health problems facing all young people in the U.S. Military life presents opportunities and challenges that may both protect against and place young troops at risk for health damaging behaviors. Challenges for maintaining a healthy armed force include high rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), unintended pregnancies (UIPs), misuse of alcohol and other substances. The common thread through these negative health outcomes is volitional behavior. Such behaviors do not only result in illness or injury, but also negatively impact performance of military duties and threaten military readiness. Despite military leadership in setting standards and policies regarding professional behavior and universal health care for preventing and eliminating such negative health outcomes, many health problems remain. Building on our previous military research, we will evaluate the effectiveness a cognitive-behavioral, skills-building intervention to prevent and reduce young troops' risk for and acquisition of STIs and UIPs and will seek to reduce a number of their associated risk factors including, alcohol misuse, other substance use, and victimization due to IPV in male and female U.S. Army soldiers who are receiving Advance Individual Training (AIT) in Fort Jackson, SC.

Description:

The primary hypotheses to be tested in this research are as follows. AIT soldiers participating in the experimental STI/UIP prevention intervention will: (a) have increased knowledge about the risk factors for and prevention of STIs, UIPs, alcohol and other substances, and intimate partner violence (IPV); (b) be more highly motivated to change risk behaviors associated with STIs and UIPs; (c) have higher levels of skills to prevent risk behaviors associated with STIs and UIPs and skills; (d) engage in more health promoting behaviors and fewer risk behaviors associated with STIs and UIPs, and (e) have fewer STIs and UIPs post-intervention compared with AIT solders who participate in a comparable control intervention focused on increasing healthy eating, maintaining physical fitness, and preventing fitness-related injuries.

The overall goal of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness a cognitive-behavioral skills-building intervention to prevent risk for and acquisition of STIs and UIPs and will seek to reduce a number of their associated risk factors including, alcohol misuse, other substance use, IPV in AIT soldiers. Specifically, we will evaluate whether AIT soldiers who participate in the experimental intervention entitled, Staying Safe and in Control: Increasing Knowledge and Building Skills to Prevent Sexually Transmitted Infections and Unintended Pregnancies will reduce their risk for and acquisition of STIs, UIPs and their associated sexual and substance use behaviors compared with AIT soldiers who undergo the control intervention entitled, Fit You: Practical Tools for Healthy Eating, Physical Fitness, and Injury Prevention. This intervention will focus primarily on promoting healthy eating, maintaining physical fitness, and preventing work-related and exercise injury.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Terminated
• Enrollment: 933
• Est. completion date: June 2013
• Est. primary completion date: March 2013
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• All participants will be 18 years of age or older, will be fluent in English, and able to provide written, informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• AIT soldiers under the age of 18 will be excluded since it will be difficult to obtain parental consent. We anticipate that this exclusion will be rare.

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Alcohol and Other Substance Use Prevention
• Intimate Partner Violence Prevention
• Sexual Risk Reduction
• Sexually Transmitted Diseases
• Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Prevention
• Unintended Pregnancy Prevention

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Preventing Helath Damaging Health Behaviors in Male and Female Army Recruits
Groups will be randomly assigned to the sexual/substance use prevention intervention or the comparative/control intervention focused on impro risk Involves 10 hours of didactic presentations, interactive group discussions, skills-building exercises, and topic specific videos to reduce participants' risk for and acquisition of STIs, unintended pregnancies and their associated sexual and substance use behaviors.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Fort Jackson Advance Individual Training Units	Columbia	South Carolina

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
United States Department of Defense

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

References & Publications (36)

Boyer CB, Barrett DC, Peterman TA, Bolan G. Sexually transmitted disease (STD) and HIV risk in heterosexual adults attending a public STD clinic: evaluation of a randomized controlled behavioral risk-reduction intervention trial. AIDS. 1997 Mar;11(3):359-67. — View Citation

Boyer CB, Shafer MA, Moncada J, Schachter J, Shaffer RA, Brodine SK. Sociodemographic, behavioral, and clinical factors associated with STDs in a national sample of women entering the US military. ISSTDR: Sexually Transmitted Infections. 2001:241-246.

Boyer CB, Shafer MA, Shaffer RA, Brodine SK, Ito SI, Yniguez DL, Benas DM, Schachter J. Prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV in young military men: evaluation of a cognitive-behavioral skills-building intervention. Sex Transm Dis. 2001 Jun;28(6):349-55. — View Citation

Boyer CB, Shafer MA, Tschann JM. Evaluation of a knowledge- and cognitive-behavioral skills-building intervention to prevent STDs and HIV infection in high school students. Adolescence. 1997 Spring;32(125):25-42. — View Citation

Boyer CB, Shafer MA. Preventing STDs and unplanned pregnancies: a cognitive-behavioral intervention for young women entering the U.S. military. Journal of Adolescent Health. 2003;32(2):129.

Bray RM, Fairbank JA, Marsden ME. Stress and substance use among military women and men. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse. 1999 May;25(2):239-56. — View Citation

Brodine SK, Shafer MA, Shaffer RA, Boyer CB, Putnam SD, Wignall FS, Thomas RJ, Bales B, Schachter J. Asymptomatic sexually transmitted disease prevalence in four military populations: application of DNA amplification assays for Chlamydia and gonorrhea screening. J Infect Dis. 1998 Oct;178(4):1202-4. — View Citation

Cecil JA, Howell MR, Tawes JJ, Gaydos JC, McKee KT Jr, Quinn TC, Gaydos CA. Features of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection in male Army recruits. J Infect Dis. 2001 Nov 1;184(9):1216-9. Epub 2001 Sep 27. — View Citation

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Workowski KA, Berman SM. Sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines, 2006. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2006 Aug 4;55(RR-11):1-94. Erratum in: MMWR Recomm Rep. 2006 Sep 15;55(36):997.. — View Citation

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance 2000. Atlanta, GA: Division of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention; 2001.

Chernesky M, Jang D, Luinstra K, Chong S, Smieja M, Cai W, Hayhoe B, Portillo E, Macritchie C, Main C, Ewert R. High analytical sensitivity and low rates of inhibition may contribute to detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in significantly more women by the APTIMA Combo 2 assay. J Clin Microbiol. 2006 Feb;44(2):400-5. — View Citation

Chernesky MA, Jang DE. APTIMA transcription-mediated amplification assays for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Expert Rev Mol Diagn. 2006 Jul;6(4):519-25. Review. — View Citation

Clark JB, Holt VL, Miser F. Unintended pregnancy among female soldiers presenting for prenatal care at Madigan Army Medical Center. Mil Med. 1998 Jul;163(7):444-8. — View Citation

Fisher JD, Fisher WA, Williams SS, Malloy TE. Empirical tests of an information-motivation-behavioral skills model of AIDS-preventive behavior with gay men and heterosexual university students. Health Psychol. 1994 May;13(3):238-50. — View Citation

Gaydos CA, Howell MR, Pare B, Clark KL, Ellis DA, Hendrix RM, Gaydos JC, McKee KT Jr, Quinn TC. Chlamydia trachomatis infections in female military recruits. N Engl J Med. 1998 Sep 10;339(11):739-44. — View Citation

Howell MR, Gaydos JC, McKee KT Jr, Quinn TC, Gaydos CA. Control of Chlamydia trachomatis infections in female army recruits: cost-effective screening and treatment in training cohorts to prevent pelvic inflammatory disease. Sex Transm Dis. 1999 Oct;26(9):519-26. — View Citation

Jenkins RA, Jenkins PR, Nannis ED, McKee KT Jr, Temoshok LR. Correlates of human immunodeficiency virus infection risk behavior in male attendees of a clinic for sexually transmitted disease. Clin Infect Dis. 2000 Apr;30(4):723-9. — View Citation

Levett PN, Brandt K, Olenius K, Brown C, Montgomery K, Horsman GB. Evaluation of three automated nucleic acid amplification systems for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in first-void urine specimens. J Clin Microbiol. 2008 Jun;46(6):2109-11. doi: 10.1128/JCM.00043-08. Epub 2008 Apr 9. — View Citation

Magann EF, Nolan TE. Pregnancy outcome in an active-duty population. Obstet Gynecol. 1991 Sep;78(3 Pt 1):391-3. — View Citation

Martin L, Rosen LN, Durand DB, Stretch RH, Knudson KH. Prevalence and timing of sexual assaults in a sample of male and female U.S. Army soldiers. Mil Med. 1998 Apr;163(4):213-6. — View Citation

Martin L. Personality characteristics that increase vulnerability to sexual harassment among U.S. Army soldiers. Mil Med. 2000 Oct;165(10):709-13. — View Citation

Masek BJ, Arora N, Quinn N, Aumakhan B, Holden J, Hardick A, Agreda P, Barnes M, Gaydos CA. Performance of three nucleic acid amplification tests for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae by use of self-collected vaginal swabs obtained via an Internet-based screening program. J Clin Microbiol. 2009 Jun;47(6):1663-7. doi: 10.1128/JCM.02387-08. Epub 2009 Apr 22. — View Citation

McNeary AM, Lomenick TS. Military duty: risk factor for preterm labor? A review. Mil Med. 2000 Aug;165(8):612-5. Review. — View Citation

Moncada J, Schachter J, Hook EW 3rd, Ferrero D, Gaydos C, Quinn TC, Willis D, Weissfeld A, Martin DH. The effect of urine testing in evaluations of the sensitivity of the Gen-Probe Aptima Combo 2 assay on endocervical swabs for Chlamydia trachomatis and neisseria gonorrhoeae: the infected patient standard reduces sensitivity of single site evaluation. Sex Transm Dis. 2004 May;31(5):273-7. — View Citation

Sadler AG, Booth BM, Cook BL, Doebbeling BN. Factors associated with women's risk of rape in the military environment. Am J Ind Med. 2003 Mar;43(3):262-73. Erratum in: Am J Ind Med. 2003 Jul;44(1):110. — View Citation

Sadler AG, Booth BM, Nielson D, Doebbeling BN. Health-related consequences of physical and sexual violence: women in the military. Obstet Gynecol. 2000 Sep;96(3):473-80. — View Citation

Schachter J, Chernesky MA, Willis DE, Fine PM, Martin DH, Fuller D, Jordan JA, Janda W, Hook EW 3rd. Vaginal swabs are the specimens of choice when screening for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae: results from a multicenter evaluation of the APTIMA assays for both infections. Sex Transm Dis. 2005 Dec;32(12):725-8. — View Citation

Serlin M, Shafer MA, Tebb K, Gyamfi AA, Moncada J, Schachter J, Wibbelsman C. What sexually transmitted disease screening method does the adolescent prefer? Adolescents' attitudes toward first-void urine, self-collected vaginal swab, and pelvic examination. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2002 Jun;156(6):588-91. — View Citation

Shafer MA, Boyer CB, Shaffer RA, Schachter J, Ito SI, Brodine SK. Correlates of sexually transmitted diseases in a young male deployed military population. Mil Med. 2002 Jun;167(6):496-500. — View Citation

Shafer MA, Moncada J, Boyer CB, Betsinger K, Flinn SD, Schachter J. Comparing first-void urine specimens, self-collected vaginal swabs, and endocervical specimens to detect Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae by a nucleic acid amplification test. J Clin Microbiol. 2003 Sep;41(9):4395-9. — View Citation

Shafer MA, Pantell RH, Schachter J. Is the routine pelvic examination needed with the advent of urine-based screening for sexually transmitted diseases? Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1999 Feb;153(2):119-25. — View Citation

Shain RN, Piper JM, Newton ER, Perdue ST, Ramos R, Champion JD, Guerra FA. A randomized, controlled trial of a behavioral intervention to prevent sexually transmitted disease among minority women. N Engl J Med. 1999 Jan 14;340(2):93-100. — View Citation

The NIMH Multisite HIV Prevention Trial: reducing HIV sexual risk behavior. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Multisite HIV Prevention Trial Group. Science. 1998 Jun 19;280(5371):1889-94. — View Citation

United States Department of Health and Human Services. Alcohol research & health: highlights from the tenth special report to Congress, Health risks and benefits of alcohol consumption. Vol 24. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office; 2000.

Williams JO, Bell NS, Amoroso PJ. Drinking and other risk taking behaviors of enlisted male soldiers in the US Army. Work. 2002;18(2):141-50. — View Citation

Yen S, Shafer MA, Moncada J, Campbell CJ, Flinn SD, Boyer CB. Bacterial vaginosis in sexually experienced and non-sexually experienced young women entering the military. Obstet Gynecol. 2003 Nov;102(5 Pt 1):927-33. — View Citation

* Note: There are 36 references in all — Click here to view all references

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Incidence of Sexually Transmitted Infections and the Self-reported Numbers of Unintended Pregnancies		6 to 9 months
Secondary	Self-reported Behavioral Measures Related to STI/HIV Prevention		6 to 9 months