Video Opportunities for Innovative Condom Education & Safer Sex (VOICES/VOCES) is based on the theory of Reasoned Action, which explains how people’s behaviors are guided by their attitudes, beliefs, and experiences as well as by how they think others should act in a given circumstance. Health educators convene groups of 4-8 patients ages 18-29 in a private room. Groups are organized by gender and ethnicity, so that participants can develop prevention strategies appropriate to their cultures. Participants watch culturally-specific videos with information on HIV/sexually transmitted infections (STI) risk behavior and condom use and negotiation. Participants discuss all information and participate in role plays. At the end of the single, 45-minute session, participants are given samples of condoms they have identified as best meeting their needs.

VOICES/VOCES was evaluated in a random control trial with 1,699 patients assigned to receive the VOICES/VOCES intervention and 1,707 patients assigned to a control group. The researchers reported the following results:

• Increased knowledge about transmission of HIV and other STIs
• More realistic assessment of patients' own personal risk
• Greater likelihood of getting condoms and intending to use them regularly
• Presented fewer repeat STIs
• Increased condom acquisition as determined by project coupon redemption data

Site Activities

• Conduct small group skills-building sessions to work on overcoming barriers to condom use
• Educate EBI participants about different types of condoms and their features
• Distribute samples of condoms identified by participants as best meeting their needs

Participant Activities

• View culturally-specific videos that show how to negotiate condom use
• Increase condom knowledge