A Web-Based Intervention for Reducing Sexually Transmitted Infections and Substance Use During Pregnancy: Randomized Controlled Trial - Summary - MDSpire
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A Web-Based Intervention for Reducing Sexually Transmitted Infections and Substance Use During Pregnancy: Randomized Controlled Trial
To test whether the Health Check-Up for Expectant Moms (HCEM) reduces condomless sex or STI risk, alcohol or drug use, compared to a control condition in a larger, more diverse sample of pregnant women seeking prenatal care.
Approach:
Participant Recruitment: Participants were recruited in-person and remotely, with initial recruitment from April 2019 to March 2020 and remote recruitment from August 2020 to September 2023.
Intervention Description: The HCEM is a technology-delivered brief intervention consisting of a single session plus two booster sessions aimed at reducing alcohol or drug use and STI risk during pregnancy.
Key Findings:
The HCEM was associated with a significantly larger reduction in cannabis or alcohol use during pregnancy compared to the control group, with specific statistical significance levels reported.
High ratings of acceptability were noted in the pilot randomized controlled trial with a sample of 50 pregnant women.
Interpretation:
The study suggests that technology-delivered interventions like HCEM may effectively reduce substance use and STI risk among pregnant women.
Limitations:
The study's recruitment was affected by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, which may limit generalizability.
Participants required internet access and device literacy, potentially excluding some populations.
Conclusion:
The HCEM intervention shows potential in addressing substance use and STI risk in pregnant women.
by Golfo Tzilos Wernette, Ananda Sen, Dongru Chen, Kristina Countryman, Okeoma Mmeje, Quyen M Ngo, Katherine J Gold, Christopher W Kahler, Caron Zlotnick
