Reduction in human immunodeficiency virus risk among youth in developing countries.
OBJECTIVE
To address the 6-month efficacy of a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention intervention targeted to youth and delivered with and without a parental monitoring intervention in a developing country (the Bahamas).


METHODS
Randomized, controlled, 3-cell intervention trial with a 6-month postintervention follow-up.


METHODS
Elementary schools in the Bahamas.


METHODS
A total of 1282 Bahamian sixth-grade students (and 1175 parents) in 15 schools.


METHODS
Youth and parents were randomized at the level of the school to receive the following interventions: (1) Focus on Youth in the Caribbean (FOYC) plus Caribbean Informed Parents and Children Together (CImPACT), (2) FOYC plus an attention control for parents (Goal for It [GFI]), or (3) an attention control for the youth (Wonderous Wetlands [WW]) plus the GFI. The 10-session FOYC or WW curriculum was delivered as part of the elementary school curriculum. The GFI or CImPACT was delivered to parents in the evenings or on weekends.


METHODS
Risk and protective knowledge, condom use skills, perceptions, interventions, and self-reported behaviors.


RESULTS
Compared with the WW, the FOYC significantly increased knowledge, condom use skills, protective perceptions, and intentions to engage in safer behaviors. Among youth, no differences were found in knowledge or condom use skills based on parent intervention; among parents, those receiving the CImPACT demonstrated superior condom use skills after the intervention.


CONCLUSIONS
Protective knowledge, skills, perceptions, and intentions of youth from 1 developing country can be significantly improved by youth intervention delivered through the schools. Longer follow-up is needed to determine if risk behaviors will be reduced and how long protective results will be sustained.
Office of AIDS, Bahamas Ministry of Health, Nassau.
Lynette
L
Deveaux
Bonita
B
Stanton
Sonya
S
Lunn
Leslie
L
Cottrell
Shuli
S
Yu
Nannette
N
Brathwaite
Xiamong
X
Li
Hongjie
H
Liu
Sharon
S
Marshall
Carole
C
Harris
D000367:Age Factors; D001444:Bahamas / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services; D002669:Child Welfare; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006266:Health Education; D006293:Health Promotion; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012307:Risk Factors; D012308:Risk Management; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012574:Schools; D040241:Social Marketing; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires