mental health AIDS

Fall 2004 Newsletter / Volume 6, Issue 1

HIV Prevention News

Based on a review of 24 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published before 2003 evaluating sexual risk reduction interventions with adolescents, Pedlow and Carey (2004) recommend that "developmentally appropriate" interventions:

Use multiple intervention strategies that are compatible with adolescents' cognitive abilities

Illustrate abstract concepts, such as risk appraisal, with clear, personalized examples

Teach techniques to cope with emotions and feelings associated with practicing risk reduction

Provide multiple opportunities for behavioral skills training

Emphasize sexual communication, negotiation, and decision-making skills

Facilitate skills maintenance by providing "booster " sessions

Address peer norms and peer pressure

Include activities to involve parents in the intervention

Provide integrated prevention messages to reduce risk for HIV, STDs, and unintended pregnancy (p. 180)

It should be noted that " the interventions tested in RCTs were more effective in delaying the onset of sexual activity than in promoting abstinence among sexually active youth. Interventions with booster sessions were effective in reducing sexual risk behavior [and] improvements in sexual communication skills and perceived norms for safer sex were associated with reductions in sexual risk outcomes" (p. 172).

As illustrated by Shain et al. (2004) above, gender and culture are additional factors considered important by some investigators in planning interventions. With this in mind, DiClemente et al. (2004) randomized 522 sexually-experienced, young African-American women between the ages of 14 and 18 to one of two conditions: four, four-hour group sessions that "emphasiz[ed] ethnic and gender pride, HIV knowledge, communication, condom use skills, and healthy relationships" (p. 171) or sessions that emphasized exercise and nutrition. Following up at six months and one year post-intervention, the authors found that those receiving the first of these interventions were more likely to use condoms consistently (i.e., during every occasion of vaginal intercourse)and less likely to have acquired a new vaginal sex partner in the preceding 30 days than those in the control condition. DiClemente and colleagues conclude that "[ i]nterventions for African American adolescent girls that are gender-tailored and culturally congruent can enhance HIV-preventive behaviors, skills, and mediators and may reduce pregnancy and chlamydia infection" (p. 171).

Indicates this file is in Adobe PDF format and requires the Adobe Acrobat Reader program.

Disclaimer Privacy Policy Accessibility Department of Health and Human Services