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Little is known about the comparative effectiveness of human immunodeficiency virus prevention interventions that differ in duration but contain similar content. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of two versions (6 hours vs. 3 hours) of a behavioral intervention called the STD/HIV Intervention Program (SHIP) in a sample of Marines. Marines were exposed to either a 6-hour or a 3-hour version of SHIP. Comparisons of pre-test and post-test knowledge, attitude, and behavioral intention scores revealed similar results for both versions. For both versions of the intervention, scores on sexually transmitted diseases/human immunodeficiency virus knowledge were significantly higher after the intervention. Both the 6-hour and the 3-hour versions of SHIP also led to significant increases on scales measuring social norms and behavioral intentions. The two versions of SHIP appeared to be of comparable effectiveness for producing short-term changes in knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions.

Research evaluating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) behavioral interventions among U.S. military personnel has been lacking. In this study, a behavioral intervention to prevent HIV and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) was implemented in a sample of Marine security guards. Participants were assessed before and after a three-session intervention on a measure of STDs/HIV knowledge and a number of psychosocial scales. The results indicated that STDs/HIV knowledge was significantly greater after the intervention. Significant pre-test vs. post-test differences were also found on the Social Norms, Behavioral Intentions, Attitudes toward Condoms, and Self-Efficacy/Impulse Control scales. On Social Norms and Behavioral Intentions, the differences were as expected: subjects perceived greater social norms supporting condom use and had stronger intentions to practice safe sex after the intervention than they had before. On Attitudes toward Condoms and Self-Efficacy/Impulse Control, the differences were not in the expected direction. Psychosocial factors associated with self-reported condom use were also identified.

Although a substantial number of studies have been conducted to evaluate the impact of various human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention programs, most of them have focused on civilian populations. There is a clear need to develop and evaluate sexually transmitted diseases (STD)/HIV prevention programs designed specifically for U.S. military populations. The objective of the present study was to determine whether a behavioral intervention known as the STD/HIV Intervention Program (SHIP) would have a sustained positive impact on the behavior of a sample of Marines. A 1-year follow-up telephone interview was administered to (1) Marines who participated in the SHIP course (intervention group), and (2) a quasi-control group of Marines who were not exposed to the SHIP course. The intervention and control groups differed significantly in the percentage of the time they had used condoms during the past year. The intervention participants reported using condoms a greater percentage of the time than the nonparticipants.

Heavy drinking and associated problems are relatively common in young men, including those in a military setting. This article explores characteristics of alcohol intake and associated difficulties and their relationship to a self-report of the usual intensity of response to alcohol in a sample of U.S. Marines. Two questionnaires related to demography and alcohol use histories, along with a simple, 12-item self-report measure of the usual number of drinks to experience an effect (the Self-Rating of the Effects of Alcohol, SRE) were administered to 1320 U.S. Marines. The sample had an average age of 22 years, 78% were Caucasian, and 92% were enlisted personnel. The relationships and correlations among drinking characteristics and problems and the usual number of drinks for an effect were determined. These subjects drank an average of 6 days per month, consuming an average of almost six drinks per drinking day, and reported more than three times per month in which they consumed six or more drinks per occasion. Consistent with studies of other populations, the SRE measures of intensity of response to alcohol showed a positive correlation with both drinking practices and problems, with the latter remaining significant even after controlling for recent drinking practices. The prodigious level of alcohol intake and associated problems, along with the SRE scores, indicate that the Marine Corps personnel are at especially high risk for alcohol-related life problems. These data also support the potential usefulness of the SRE both in identifying individuals likely to have more severe alcohol profiles and in educating individuals regarding their levels of risk for alcohol abuse and dependence.

TRANK, T. V., D. H. RYMAN, R. Y. MINAGAWA, D. W. TRONE, and R. A. SHAFFER. Running mileage, movement mileage, and fitness in male U.S. Navy recruits. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 33, No. 6, 2001, pp. 1033–1038. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a relationship between overall fitness improvement and varying amounts of running and movement mileage. Subjects were male U.S. Navy recruits (N = 1703, 25 divisions), ages 17–35 yr (mean age = 20.1 ± 2.9 yr), who attended boot camp from April 1996 through August 1996. During the first week of training, recruits performed a 1.5-mile run to determine baseline fitness levels. The results from the initial run were compared with a final 1.5-mile run conducted 6 wk later. Based on an age-adjusted fitness scale for a 1.5-mile run time, about one third of the recruits began recruit training in “Excellent-Superior” condition (N = 558), one third began in “Good” condition (N = 582), and one third began in “Poor-Fair” condition (N = 563). Running mileage among divisions ranged from 11.5 to 43.5 miles for the entire 7-wk training period (mean = 22.7 ± 7.2 miles; 8–22 run days, mean = 13 ± 4 d). In addition to running, the divisions accumulated many movement miles (110–202 miles; mean = 145 ± 26 miles) while marching in formation. Recruits who began training in Poor-Fair condition improved the most with an average decrease in run time of 1:55 ± 1:06 min (15.6% improvement). The Good group improved by 47 ± 37 s (7.3% improvement), and the Excellent-Superior group improved by 17 ± 32 s (2.9% improvement). The magnitude of fitness improvement, as measured by run time improvement, was directly related to baseline fitness level but not related to movement mileage or high-intensity run mileage accrued during training.