The potential of alcohol "heat-of-the-moment" scenarios in HIV prevention: A qualitative study exploring intervention implications

Scenarios simulating real-world risk situations have proven effective for substance use intervention methods and could potentially prove useful as an HIV-prevention method. This study explored qualitatively the development and use of such "in-the-moment" methods. We interviewed 97 moderate-drinking women (50 % Caucasian) after participation in an experiment requiring that they project themselves into a risky-sex scenario. Most participants (58 %) reported experiencing the scenario as a reflective tool characterized by two primary themes: (1) increased awareness of risk and (2) contemplation of behavior change. Findings suggest that "in-the-moment" methods depicting real-world risk situations and providing opportunities to reflect about behavioral choices and subsequent outcomes could prove a useful adjunct to HIV/AIDS-prevention interventions. Such methods could potentially augment existing prevention protocols. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York.