Theory-Based Behavioral Intervention Increases Mother-Son Communication about Sexual Risk Reduction Among Inner-City African Americans

• In Event: HIGH-DENSITY: Evaluating Communication Campaigns and Mechanisms of Effects

Abstract

African American adolescent males are at increased risk for HIV, yet there are few sexual risk-reduction interventions targeting this population. This study tests the efficacy of the Mother-Son Health Promotion Project at increasing mother-son communication about sexual risk reduction. African American mothers with their sons ages 10 to 15 years residing in public housing in Philadelphia, PA were randomized into a HIV/STI risk-reduction intervention an attention-matched health-promotion control intervention. Mothers and sons completed surveys pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and at 3-, 6-, 12-, 18- and 24-months post-intervention. Of 525 mother-son dyads, 366 (69.7%) completed the 24-months post-intervention survey. Generalized-estimating-equations models revealed that over 24 months, mothers and sons in the HIV/STI risk-reduction intervention were more likely to communicate about sexual health, including sexual intercourse, birth control, HIV/AIDS prevention, and condoms. Intervention efficacy was found to weaken over time. This theory-based intervention was efficacious in increasing mother-son communication about sexual risk reduction.

Authors

• Jingwen Zhang, University of California, Davis

• Julie A Cederbaum, U of Southern California

• John B. Jemmott III, U of Pennsylvania

• Loretta Sweet Jemmott, Drexel U