title: Adapting a multifaceted U.S. HIV prevention education program for girls in Ghana.
abstract: We adapted a U.S. HIV prevention program to address knowledge gaps and cultural pressures that increase the risk of infection in adolescent Ghanaian girls. The theory-based nine-module HIV prevention program combines didactics and games, an interactive computer program about sugar daddies, and tie-and-dye training to demonstrate an economic alternative to transactional sex. The abstinence-based study was conducted in a church-affiliated junior secondary school in Nsawam, Ghana. Of 61 subjects aged 10-14 in the prevention program, over two thirds were very worried about becoming HIV infected. A pre-post evaluation of the intervention showed significant gains in three domains: HIV knowledge (p = .001) and self efficacy to discuss HIV and sex with men (p < .001) and with boys (p < .001). Responses to items about social norms of HIV risk behavior were also somewhat improved (p = .09). Subjects rated most program features highly. Although short-term knowledge and self-efficacy to address HIV improved significantly, longer term research is needed to address cultural and economic factors placing young women at risk of HIV infection.
authors.affiliation: JSA Consultants Limited, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: Vivian Sarpomaa
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Fiscian
authors.forename: E Kwame
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Obeng
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: Judy A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Shea
authors.forename: Barbara J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Turner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D021841:Safe Sex; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D014933:Women's Rights