Comparing Brief Alcohol Interventions For HIV-HCV Co-infected Persons

Overview

Two types of brief intervention, Brief Advice (BA) and Motivational Interviewing (MI), have been shown to be efficacious in reducing drinking in non-HIV samples. Our goal is to determine whether offering counseling beyond Brief Advice, namely MI, has greater alcohol reduction effects. In the proposed randomized trial, all 300 HIV-HCV co-infected participants will receive BA delivered by their HIV PCP during a regular HIV visit and will then be randomized to either a 30-minute Motivational Interviewing Intervention with a Behavioral Counselor (MI) or to HIV clinic treatment-as-usual. After this initial meeting, drinking "check-in" (MI or BA) sessions will then be provided telephonically every three months for 18 months, with a final assessment at 24 months. Our primary outcome is drinks per week.

Two types of brief intervention, Brief Advice (BA) and Motivational Interviewing (MI), have been shown to be efficacious in reducing drinking in non-HIV samples. Our goal is to determine whether offering counseling beyond Brief Advice, namely MI, has greater alcohol reduction effects. In the proposed randomized trial, all 300 HIV-HCV co-infected participants will receive BA delivered by their HIV PCP during a regular HIV visit and will then be randomized to either a 30-minute Motivational Interviewing Intervention with a Behavioral Counselor (MI) or to HIV clinic treatment-as-usual. After this initial meeting, drinking "check-in" (MI or BA) sessions will then be provided telephonically every three months for 18 months. Research assessments will also be done every three months, with a final assessment at 24 months. Our primary outcome is drinks per week.