Effectiveness of sexual health interventions in reducing risky sexual behaviors among people living with HIV: a network meta-analysis and systematic review

Abstract

Abstract Objectives To assess and rank the effectiveness of different sexual health interventions designed to address risky sexual behaviors in PLWH. Methods We systematically searched studies published between Jan. 2010 and Dec. 2024. Randomized controlled trails (RCTs) were included if they recruited PLWH over 18 years old, reported original quantitative data on condomless behavior and multiple sexual partners across different groups. We calculated odds ratios (ORs) or standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% CIs to summarize the intervention effects. Results Our analysis included 34 RCTs with 12,967 participants across four intervention types. Goal-oriented intervention was most effective against the likelihood of engaging in condomless sex (OR: 0.54, 95%CI: 0.39 to 0.76), followed by safe sex skills training (OR: 0.65, 95%CI: 0.43 to 0.99). For reducing the number of condomless sex, goal-oriented intervention also ranked highest but showed no advantages compared to standard of care (SMD: −0.26, 95%CI: −-0.53 to 0.02). Six studies reported the data of multiple sexual partners among PLWH, no significant results were found. Conclusions Goal-oriented interventions should be prioritized in reducing condomless sex among PLWH. However, strategies to effectively address the issue of multiple sexual partners among PLWH remain unclear, underscoring the need for further high-quality evidence.