Psychoeduc Interv. Through Meta-universes on Condom's Use Self - Efficacy and Sexual Behavior in Students of UAChile

NCT ID: NCT03684668

Last Updated: 2021-01-22

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

TERMINATED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

90 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2018-10-01

Study Completion Date

2020-03-28

Brief Summary

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In Chile, sexually transmitted infections (STI)s, including HIV / AIDS, are the main causes of morbidity in adolescents and young adults. The surveillance bulletin of the Institute of Public Health revealed an increase in cases of gonorrhea, over 200% in the last five years. HIV cases increased between 34% and 47% in this period as well.

Unsafe sexual behaviors are among the most important risk factors for sexually transmitted infections (STI); it has been shown that educational / behavioral interventions can achieve success in behavioral changes, especially in young people. Some studies have evaluated the effectiveness of behavioral interventions to prevent sexual risk behavior of HIV and STIs with encouraging results.

On the other hand, information and communication technologies (ICT) have been used in the prevention of STIs, HIV / AIDS. There is a considerable increase in the use of meta-universes or three-dimensional virtual worlds for educational purposes since 2006. No studies have yet been found that demonstrate the effectiveness of educational interventions carried out in meta-universes for the prevention of STIs in Chile.

This study aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of a psychoeducational intervention through the use of meta-universes, on self-efficacy in the use of condoms and safe sexual behavior, in university students.

An open randomized, controlled trial will be conducted. Dependent variables will be measured before the intervention and 15 days after the end of the intervention in the experimental group in both groups.

Students from first year to fourth year of different careers (except Nursing), currently in the Universidad Autonoma de Chile will be included after their informed consent.

The psychoeducational intervention consists of three sessions in which techniques based on three of the four sources of self-efficacy described are applied.

The intervention will be carried out every 24 hours with four participants in four computers and 3D lenses available in the computer labs of the University.

The dependent variables will be: 1) the self-efficacy in the use of male condom, measured with the Scale Condom self-efficacy scale of Brafford and Beck and 2) safe sexual behavior measured with Safe Sex Behavior Questionnaire scale of Dilorio, Lehr, Adame and Carlone. Both scales were culturally adapted to Chile.

Detailed Description

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In Chile, sexually transmitted infections (STI)s, including HIV / AIDS, are the main causes of morbidity in adolescents and young adults. The surveillance bulletin of the Institute of Public Health revealed an increase in cases of gonorrhea, over 200% in the last five years. HIV cases increased between 34% and 47% in this period as well.

Unsafe sexual behaviors are among the most important risk factors for these diseases; it has been shown that educational / behavioral interventions can achieve success in behavioral changes, especially in young people. Some studies have evaluated the effectiveness of behavioral interventions to prevent sexual risk behavior of HIV and STIs with encouraging results.

On the other hand, information and communication technologies (ICT) have been used in the prevention of STIs, HIV / AIDS. These include computer interventions through meta-universes, chat rooms, text messaging and social media. There is a considerable increase in the use of meta-universes or three-dimensional virtual worlds for educational purposes since 2006. No studies have yet been found that demonstrate the effectiveness of educational interventions carried out in meta-universes for the prevention of STIs in Chile.

This study aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of a psychoeducational intervention through the use of meta-universes, on self-efficacy in the use of condoms and safe sexual behavior, in university students.

An open randomized, controlled trial will be conducted. Dependent variables will be measured before the intervention and 15 days after the end of the intervention in the experimental group, in both groups.

Students from first year to fourth year of different careers (except Nursing), currently in the Universidad Autonoma de Chile will be included after their informed consent.

The psychoeducational intervention consists of three sessions in which techniques based on three of the four sources of self-efficacy described are applied. The first session is called "Knowledge about STI"; the second session is entitled "Use of the male condom" and the third session is called "Talking about sexuality issues". In the first session screens will be created with interactive information in which the participants wearing 3D glasses will select information on different types of STIs; modeled situations will be presented in which students will perform and at the same time develop self-efficacy in terms of knowledge about STIs. In the second session four metaverses will be created, the first represents a modeled situation in which the participant selects an avatar, then selects a scenario between four risk situations where he meets a possible sexual partner. The student must select riddles that lead to responsible sexual behavior, selecting the best way to use the condom and different barrier methods, proposing its use and rejecting any risky behavior. In the third session, four meta-universes will be created through 3D technology, each participant selects an avatar and a different role is assigned to each one so that they generate sexuality communication skills among them without knowing each one's identity.

The intervention will be carried out every 24 hours with four participants in four computers and 3D lenses available in the computer labs of the University.

The dependent variables will be: 1) the self-efficacy in the use of male condom, measured with the Scale Condom self-efficacy scale of Brafford and Beck and 2) safe sexual behavior measured with Safe Sex Behavior Questionnaire scale of Dilorio, Lehr, Adame and Carlone. Both scales were culturally adapted to Chile.

Conditions

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Sexually Transmitted Diseases Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Bacterial

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

This is a behavioral intervention where 120 university students will be randomly assigned to the intervention or de control group. Intervention consists in a psychoeducational activity enhanced using meta-universes or three-dimensional virtual worlds. Each selected student will undergo a three-session educational activity before a personal computer and wearing 3D lenses. The first session is called "Knowledge about STI"; the second session is entitled "Use of the male condom" and the third session is called "Talking about sexuality issues". The intervention will be carried out every 24 hours with four participants in four computers and 3D lenses available in the computer labs of the University. The control group will not receive this intervention.
Primary Study Purpose

PREVENTION

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors
All forms with the questionnaires will be consecutively numbered before the beginning of the study and randomly allocated to one of the study groups. This assignment list will be given to the secretary who will allocate the questionnaires to the corresponding group and deliver them to the corresponding researcher. After completion, all forms will be collected and merged and then delivered again to the secretary who will randomly assign number 1 or 2 to one of the groups and will write this number in the upper right edge of each completed questionnaire according to the original assignment list. The researcher that will introduce data in the database will include a field for this number but will not know to which of the groups it belongs. Statistical analysis will be then carried comparing groups 1 and 2. This will not be uncovered until all results are obtained and are ready for discussion.

Study Groups

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Psychoeducational intervention

The psychoeducational intervention, with the use of meta-universes,consists of three sessions in which techniques based on three of the four sources of self-efficacy described are applied.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Psychoeducational intervention

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The intervention will be carried out every 24 hours with four participants in four computers and 3D lenses available in the computer labs of the University.

Control

The control arm will not receive the psychoeducational intervention. Students in this group will complete the questionnaires before the beginning of the intervention and after its end.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

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Psychoeducational intervention

The intervention will be carried out every 24 hours with four participants in four computers and 3D lenses available in the computer labs of the University.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* University students registered in the campus El Llano of the Universidad Autonoma de Chile.
* Students from first to fourth year.

Exclusion Criteria

* Nursing students
* Medicine students
Minimum Eligible Age

17 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

30 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Rosa Jimenez

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Rosa Jimenez

Professor

Responsibility Role SPONSOR_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Abdul Hernandez, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Universidad Autonoma de Chile

Locations

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Universidad Autonoma de Chile

Santiago, Santiago Metropolitan, Chile

Site Status

Countries

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Chile

References

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Jemmott JB 3rd, Jemmott LS, O'Leary A, Ngwane Z, Icard LD, Heeren GA, Mtose X, Carty C. Cluster-randomized controlled trial of an HIV/sexually transmitted infection risk-reduction intervention for South African men. Am J Public Health. 2014 Mar;104(3):467-73. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301578. Epub 2014 Jan 16.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 24432923 (View on PubMed)

Khumsaen N, Stephenson R. Beliefs and Perception About HIV/AIDS, Self-Efficacy, and HIV Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Young Thai Men Who Have Sex With Men. AIDS Educ Prev. 2017 Apr;29(2):175-190. doi: 10.1521/aeap.2017.29.2.175.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28467158 (View on PubMed)

Bermudez Mde L, Araujo LF, Reyes AO, Hernandez-Quero J, Teva I. Analysis of cognitive variables and sexual risk behaviors among infected and HIV-uninfected people from Spain. AIDS Care. 2016 Jul;28(7):890-7. doi: 10.1080/09540121.2016.1161163. Epub 2016 Mar 16.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 26981840 (View on PubMed)

Fernandez AM, Celis-Atenas K, Cordova-Rubio N, Dufey M, Correa Varella MA, Benedetti Piccoli Ferreira JH. [Youth sexuality: behaviors, attitudes and differences by sex and personality variables in Chilean university students]. Rev Med Chil. 2013 Feb;141(2):160-6. doi: 10.4067/S0034-98872013000200003. Spanish.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 23732487 (View on PubMed)

Gabarron E, Serrano JA, Wynn R, Armayones M. Avatars using computer/smartphone mediated communication and social networking in prevention of sexually transmitted diseases among North-Norwegian youngsters. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak. 2012 Oct 30;12:120. doi: 10.1186/1472-6947-12-120.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 23110684 (View on PubMed)

Ghanbarzadeh R, Ghapanchi AH, Blumenstein M, Talaei-Khoei A. A decade of research on the use of three-dimensional virtual worlds in health care: a systematic literature review. J Med Internet Res. 2014 Feb 18;16(2):e47. doi: 10.2196/jmir.3097.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 24550130 (View on PubMed)

Lopez LM, Otterness C, Chen M, Steiner M, Gallo MF. Behavioral interventions for improving condom use for dual protection. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013 Oct 26;2013(10):CD010662. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD010662.pub2.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 24163112 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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SEXUALHEALTHRISKMETAVERSE

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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