Active clinical trials for "Sexually Transmitted Diseases"

The investigators aim to assess the efficacy of a multi-component intervention on condom use and sexually transmitted infection (STIs) in female entertainment workers and men frequenting entertainment establishments (EEs), using a quasi-experimental design. Joo Chiat and Golden Mile Complex will be selected purposively as control cluster sites (n=220) with follow-up of entertainment workers at 6 weeks. The same sites will be used as intervention sites after a 3-months 'wash out' period. Self-reported condom use, vaginal swab samples for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for cervical gonorrhoea and chlamydia infections, and throat swabs for culture for pharyngeal gonorrhoea will be assessed. Clark Quay will be the intervention venue for the heterosexual men while Tanjong Pagar will be the equivalent control site. Using time location sampling, cross-sectional samples of men patronising these establishments will be assessed on self-reported condom use at baseline (n=600) and 6 months after the intervention (n=400) in both intervention and control groups.

The investigators propose to test a community-developed and targeted intervention that employs community health workers (CHWs) as aides to newly Medicaid-insured women. These women face the challenges of engaging with their healthcare and health and of making highly personal and socioculturally embedded decisions about reproductive health-related preventive services (e.g., contraception, STI and cancer screening).

This study will evaluate the comparative effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a customized, interactive web-based HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STI) and hepatitis prevention intervention as compared to a traditional, educator-delivered prevention intervention. Both interventions will be offered to youth enrolled in outpatient, community-based substance abuse treatment at our collaborating treatment facilities. Outcomes to be measured include accurate HIV/disease prevention knowledge, intentions to engage in safer sex, actual HIV risk behavior, attitudes toward safer sex and self-reported substance use. The web-delivered intervention under evaluation has the potential to deliver evidence-based content at low cost without increasing demands on treatment staff time or training needs.

The purpose of this study is to: determine the clinical impact of rapid Chlamydia Trachomatis (CT), Neisseria Gonorrhoeae (NG) testing on antibiotic over and under treatment for CT/NG in women evaluated in the Emergency Department (ED) for a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI). determine the clinical impact of rapid Trichomonas Vaginalis (TV) testing on antibiotic under and over treatment for TV in women evaluated in the ED for an STI evaluate the feasibility of integrating rapid Chlamydia Trachomatis (CT), Neisseria Gonorrhoeae (NG) and TV testing in the Emergency Department setting. To evaluate the impact or rapid CT/NG/TV testing an patient comprehension of Sexually Transmitted Infection diagnosis.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic is a major concern in many countries. The epidemic is especially acute in Lesotho where roughly one quarter of the population is infected by HIV/AIDS. In Lesotho, and elsewhere, new innovative approaches to induce safer sexual behavior have been desperately called for, particularly in view of the limited impact that existing prevention schemes have had on the trajectory of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. One of the key questions is to understand why individuals get involved in short-term risky sexual behavior when the potential long-term cost of becoming HIV infected is so high? A follow-up question is what replicable and feasible interventions can affect this trade-off between short and long run returns? The primary aim of this study is to evaluate whether the use of short-term financial incentives can affect this trade-off, thereby influencing young individuals' decisions with respect to sexual and reproductive health behavior, and thus in the end reduce HIV incidence rates. The investigators will study this question using a sample of population attending served by New Start Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) sites that a local NGO, Population Service International (PSI), has already implemented in Lesotho. The investigators propose to conduct a randomized controlled trial to test whether adding a financial incentive to remain STI-negative in the form of a lottery can promote safer sexual activity. The lotteries will work as follows: if the individual is tested negative on a set of curable STIs, she will get a lottery ticket with the chance to win a "big" prize. If she is tested positive, she will receive free treatment, but no lottery ticket. If an individual who tested positive is cured, she can come back in the lottery system and get a later chance to win the lottery ticket if she remains STI-negative. The outcome will be to measure the impact of financial incentives on HIV incidence after two years. The results of this research project will be disseminated through academic and non-academic conferences, workshops, publications in academic journals, and also in policy journals with the aim to reach out to policy makers outside the research community.

This study focuses on the implementation of an evidence-based HIV risk reduction intervention for HIV-serodiscordant, heterosexual African American couples ("Eban II") in two geographic areas (Northern and Southern California - roughly, Alameda and Los Angeles Counties) that have a high prevalence of HIV infection and risk conditions among African Americans. The Specific Aims are as follows: To evaluate implementation of Eban for HIV serodiscordant African American couples in 10 CBOs in California. To do this, we will document the implementation process and identify barriers and facilitators to Eban's adoption and use by the CBOs. We will interview 200 staff at CBOs to obtain this information. To evaluate the effect of Eban on behavioral and biological outcomes among 180 couples, specifically incidents of protected sex, proportion of condom use, and incident sexually transmitted infections. Eban will be assessed using a randomized delayed enrollment (waitlist) control design to evaluate the impact of treatment on outcomes at posttest and 3-month follow-up (i.e., at these 10 CBOs, Eban will be conducted and offered to couples and evaluated for effectiveness - that is, how well it works in the real world.) To determine the cost-effectiveness of implementation of Eban, based on implementation costs and potential cost savings.

Health information technology, including health information exchange, offers the potential to improve care by providing an integrated view of relevant, integrated patient information from multiple health care providers practicing in multiple sites. However, realizing that potential can be difficult, particularly with respect sensitive information. Increasingly, patients, patient advocate groups, and even the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology are pushing for patients to have more granular control over specifically who can see what personal health information in their electronic health records. This will be a demonstration project aimed at showing the initial feasibility a system allowing patient controls on their electronic health records. Because of the exploratory nature of the research, the investigators do not have specific hypotheses. The investigators hope that this demonstration and feasibility project will lead to more extensive prospective evaluations of patient control of access to their health records and other tools for enhancing patient control over access to their health records.

The purpose of this study is to develop and pilot test recruitment methods for a future study of prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STI), including the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), among Black adolescent boys through sexual health education by their fathers.

Despite many years of research, controversy persists as to whether hormonal contraception promotes HIV acquisition. A number of observational studies on depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) injection showed an increase in HIV risk and no evidence of increased risk with oral contraceptive pills. There are no human studies currently published on the impact of the levonorgestrel intrauterine device (LNG IUD) on HIV transmission risk and minimal data on the effects of the etonogestrel subdermal implant (ESI) on risk of HIV acquisition. Establishing whether any of these highly effective contraceptives increases the risk of HIV infection would have far-reaching public health implications, particularly in areas of high HIV prevalence such as sub-Saharan Africa, where injectable contraception accounts for nearly half of contraceptive use. Perturbations in the normal vaginal microbiota, or community of microorganisms inhabiting the vaginal body niche, have long been known to affect the risk of transmission of HIV. Studies have shown altered vaginal microbiota with DMPA injection and preserved vaginal microbiota with the LNG IUD, but no studies have compared these methods head-to-head or used culture-independent sequencing methodology. The investigators propose a prospective pilot study to evaluate the impact of different long-acting progestin contraceptive formulations on the vaginal microbiome. Specifically, the investigators aim to identify and compare metagenomics profiles associated with DMPA, LNG IUD, and ESI contraceptive use by community analysis of vaginal swab samples from women collected longitudinally after contraceptive method initiation. The investigators hypothesize that DMPA will increase community diversity in the vaginal microbiota, whereas the LNG IUD and ESI will not affect the balance of microorganisms in the vagina. Women who are planning to initiate DMPA, LNG IUD, and ESI contraception as well as controls not seeking contraception will be recruited for the study from Boston Medical Center (BMC), a tertiary care center with a racially and socioeconomically diverse patient population. Women will have longitudinal follow-up with self-sampling of the vagina for sexually transmitted infection testing and metagenomics analysis at method initiation, 2-3 months, and 6 months. Establishing the safest long-acting progestin contraceptive alternative will promote effective contraception use and lower rates of HIV acquisition worldwide.

Background: Several major studies have demonstrated the success of Truvada as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in preventing HIV infection.The CDC guidelines recommend PrEP for people who are at elevated risk of HIV including men who have sex with men (MSM) and people who use injection drugs. People who are incarcerated bear a disproportionate of disease burden, including HIV. Furthermore, men who have been involved with the criminal justice system are more likely to engage in risky behaviors following their release, including condomless sex with partners of unknown serostatus, and injection drug use. The incarceration setting provides a place to engage men who may be at risk of HIV after they are released. Following release, community clinics, including the STD clinic at The Miriam Hospital (TMH) Immunology Center, that perform routine testing for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) may be ideal settings to engage vulnerable populations in care, including PrEP. Despite the demonstrated clinical efficacy of PrEP in reducing HIV transmissions, few clinical programs have piloted the use of PrEP in real-world settings, particularly criminal justice settings. Furthermore, studies demonstrate numerous challenges to PrEP uptake and adherence, including a lack of access or discontinuing care. Engaging at risk men in PrEP care before they leave prison and potentially lost to care during the transition may increase uptake, adherence, and retention. Objective: This study protocol will evaluate a clinical program that aims to prevent new HIV infections among recently-incarcerated men using a once daily dosing of tenofovir/emtricitabine (Truvada) as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). This protocol presents an overview of the clinical program, which uses standard-of-care clinical practices and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for prescribing and monitoring PrEP. Male inmates at the Rhode Island Department of Corrections (RIDOC) will be screened for HIV risk and, if eligible and interested, will be prescribed and given a one-month supply of PrEP shortly before their release, and receive follow up care at The Miriam Hospital (TMH) Immunology Center following their release.