title: Short-term impact of safer choices: a multicomponent, school-based HIV, other STD, and pregnancy prevention program.
abstract: This study evaluated the effectiveness of the first year of Safer Choices, a theoretically based, multicomponent HIV, STD, and pregnancy prevention program for high school youth. The study featured a randomized trial involving 20 schools in California and Texas, with a cohort of 3,869 ninth-grade students. Students who completed both the baseline and the first follow-up survey approximately seven months later were included in the analysis (n = 3,677). Safer Choices enhanced 9 of 13 psychosocial variables including knowledge, self efficacy for condom use, normative beliefs and attitudes regarding condom use, perceived barriers to condom use, risk perceptions, and parent-child communication. Safer Choices also reduced selected risk behaviors. Specifically, Safer Choices reduced the frequency of intercourse without a condom in the three months prior to the survey, increased use of condoms at last intercourse, and increased use of selected contraceptives at last intercourse.
authors.affiliation: ETR Associates, Santa Cruz, CA 95061-1830, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Coyle
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Basen-Engquist
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kirby
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Parcel
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Banspach
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Harrist
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baumler
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weil
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D002140:California; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015497:HIV-1; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012574:Schools; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013781:Texas