Preliminary efficacy of a computer-delivered HIV prevention intervention for African American teenage females.
This study translated SiHLE (Sisters Informing, Healing, Living, and Empowering), a 12-hour Centers for Disease Control and Prevention evidence-based group-level intervention for African American females 14-18 years of age, into a 2-hour computer-delivered individual-level intervention. A randomized controlled trial (n = 178) was conducted to examine the efficacy of the new Multimedia SiHLE intervention. Average condom-protected sex acts (proportion of vaginal sex acts with condoms, last 90 days) for sexually active participants receiving Multimedia SiHLE rose from M = 51% at baseline to M = 71% at 3-month follow-up (t = 2.06, p = .05); no statistically significant difference was found in the control group. Non-sexually active intervention group participants reported a significant increase in condom self-efficacy (t = 2.36, p = .02); no statistically significant difference was found in the control group. The study provides preliminary support for the efficacy of a computer-delivered adaptation of a proven HIV prevention program for African American teenage women. This is consistent with meta-analyses that have shown that computer-delivered interventions, which can often be disseminated at lower per-capita cost than human-delivered interventions, can influence HIV risk behaviors in positive fashion.
Sociometrics Corporation, Los Altos, CA 94022-2812, USA. cklein@socio.com
Charles H
CH
Klein
Josefina J
JJ
Card
D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D003201:Computers; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D019212:Multimedia; D015397:Program Evaluation; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012309:Risk-Taking; D021841:Safe Sex; D012495:San Francisco; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires