Schoolbased HIV Prevention Programs - Article Example

The objectives of the curriculum are that students will be able to set a personal sexual limit, describe their reasons for maintaining their sexual limit, identify problems that may arise in maintaining their sexual limit and describe how they will address those problems and maintain their limit. The classroom curriculum was developed over a two year period. The researchers used theories about what students needed to postpone sexual activity, we developed activities and then tested them in the classroom.

Student reactions to the lessons were observed and they were asked for comments at the end of each lesson. The Healthy Oakland Teens Project (HOT) established by the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies began providing innovative HIV prevention education in Oakland, CA in 1989. The project's goal was to reduce adolescents' risk for HIV infection by using peer role models to advocate for responsible decision making, healthy values and norms, and improved communication skills. The HOT program educated ninth grade students during a one semester, daily class to become HIV peer helpers for seventh grade students.

After extensive training, the ninth grade peer helpers delivered weekly interactive sessions in seventh grade science classes, focusing on values, decision-making, communication, and prevention skills. The program trained 30 ninth grade peer helpers who in turn taught 300 seventh graders each year. A parent education program was also implemented for AIDS prevention. Saving Sex for Later is an audio CD program that educates parents about helping their sons and daughters navigate normal pubertal changes and the challenges of becoming a teenager and supporting them in staying abstinent during the critical early adolescent years.

Developed with extensive input from parents and youth, Saving Sex for Later used engaging and dramatic stories to model how parents can communicate effectively with their children. The results showed that listening to the Saving Sex for Later CDs helped parents talk to their children about puberty, romantic relationships, and delaying sexual activity. Youth whose parents received the CDs reported more family rules, greater family support, and less risky behavior. Some interventions to reduce the risk of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) that target youths have resulted in short-term increases in self-reported condom use.

BF Stanton et. al (1997) carried out a randomized, controlled trial of a community-based intervention delivered in eight weekly sessions which involved 76 naturally formed peer groups consisting of 383 (206 intervention and 177 control) African-American youths 9 to 15 years of age. A theory-based, culturally and developmentally tailored instrument that assessed perceptions, intentions, and self-reported sexual behaviors was administered to all subjects at baseline and 6 and 12 months later. At baseline, 36% of youths were sexually experienced, and by 12 months of follow-up, 49% were sexually experienced.

Self-reported condom use rates were significantly higher among intervention than control youths (85% vs 61%; P