Telephone-delivered motivational interviewing targeting sexual risk behavior reduces depression, anxiety, and stress in HIV-positive older adults

Background: Few studies have examined the secondary benefits of HIV risk reduction interventions to improve mental health functioning. Purpose: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of telephone-delivered motivational interviewing (MI) targeting sexual risk behavior to reduce depression, anxiety, and stress in HIV-positive older adults. Methods: Participants were 100 HIV-positive adults 45+ years old enrolled in a sexual risk reduction pilot clinical trial of telephone-delivered MI. Participants were randomly assigned to a one-session MI, four-session MI, or standard of care control condition. Telephone interviews at baseline and 3- and 6-month follow-up assessed sexual behavior, depression, anxiety, and stress. Results: Relative to controls, participants in the one- and four-session MI conditions reported lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress at 6-month follow-up. No between group differences were observed at 3-month follow-up or between one- and four-session MI participants at 6-month follow-up. Conclusions: Preliminary data suggest that telephone-delivered MI to reduce sexual risk behavior may confer secondary benefits of improving mental health functioning in HIV-positive persons.