School-based AIDS education for adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
To describe a program which utilizes medical students and persons with AIDS (PWAs) to provide for adolescents school-based education about acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).


METHODS
Two 1.5 hour classroom sessions were conducted by medical students and persons with AIDS for seventh and eighth grade students (n = 1,161 students) at two urban middle schools. In addition, a two hour informational session was provided for parents. A 49 question student health survey was used to evaluate adolescents' HIV knowledge, tolerance of persons with AIDS, and intentions to engage in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) safe behaviors.


RESULTS
Significant (p < 0.01) increases in HIV knowledge and tolerance of persons with AIDS were observed, which persisted for three months. A significant (p < 0.01) improvement in intention to engage in HIV-safe behaviors was observed but did not persist for three months.


CONCLUSIONS
Medical students and persons with AIDS can provide school-based AIDS education to early adolescents.
Sunwood
J
J
Office of the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Brenman
A
A
Escobedo
J
J
Philpott
T
T
Allman
K
K
Mueller
J
J
Jaeger
J
J
Brown
L K
LK
Cole
F S
FS
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012574:Schools; D013337:Students, Medical