A Brief Marijuana Intervention for Adolescent Women

Rhode Island Hospital, Providence RI

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the United States. Adolescent women are a population at high risk for HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) given their high rates of sexual risk behaviors. There is substantial evidence for the association between marijuana use and HIV/STI risk-taking. In populations of substance-using individuals, research has shown that brief interventions decrease drug and alcohol use. To date, methods for reducing marijuana use among adolescent women with pre-dependent levels of use has not been explored, and the extent to which such reductions will improve HIV/STI risk-taking behaviors in this population is unknown. We propose to conduct a randomized clinical trial in which 326 sexually active, marijuana-using young women, ages 15-24, are recruited at a Women's Primary Care Center, and assigned to: (a) a brief, motivationally focused marijuana intervention or (b) standard of care. Women's marijuana use, problems arising from marijuana use, and sexual HIV/STI risk behaviors will be assessed at baseline, 3- and 6-months follow-up. We hypothesize that adding a brief marijuana intervention and a one-month booster session will result in less marijuana use and less sexual risk taking at follow-up relative to standard care. If effective, this brief marijuana intervention can be readily integrated into existing women's primary care sites.