Objective To test the hypothesis that a brief, clinic-based, single-session programme will reduce the rate of 10 selected condom use errors in a clinical sample of young black men (YBM) ages 15 through 23 years.

Methods Data were collected in clinics treating patients with sexually transmitted infections (STI) in three southern US cities. Males 15–23 years of age who identified as black/African–American, and reported recent (past 2 months) condom use were eligible. Only those also reporting condom use in the 2 months prior to a 6-month follow-up assessment (n=311) were included in this secondary analysis of data from a randomised, controlled trial. Difference scores were used to capture a Group×Time effect.

Results YBM reported 2232 condom use events in the 2 months preceding study enrolment and 2042 in the 2 months preceding the follow-up assessment. Mean baseline error rates were 1.32 and 1.13 for young men randomised to the intervention and control conditions, respectively. Follow-up rates were 1.11 and 3.59 for young men randomised to the intervention and control conditions, respectively. Controlled findings yielded a significant effect for the influence of group assignment on the difference score (baseline to follow-up) in the condom use error rate (β=0.13; p=0.02).

Conclusions A brief, clinic-based counselling programme produced modest reductions in condom use errors among YBM attending STI clinics in the southern USA Intensified clinic-based intervention that helps YBM improve the quality of their condom use behaviours is warranted.

Trial registration number NCT00849823.