Educational impact of peer-intervention on the knowledge and attitudes about HIV/AIDS in adolescents in Panama.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices about HIV/AIDS of high school students in Panama City, Panama and the impact of a peer-to-peer intervention project.


METHODS
There were 659 participants in two public and two private schools, one of each got the intervention and the other serving as control. A questionnaire was used as a pretest and post-test to measure the effects of the intervention. The intervention consisted of 12 weekly sessions led by professionally trained peers using four different modalities: theater, group dynamics, videos, and discussions.


RESULTS
The difference in the knowledge scores of the questionnaire resulted in an improvement in both the private (ES=0.63) and the public (ES=0.52) schools with the intervention. Another important finding was that the idea of abstinence as disease prevention for high school students rose from 7% to 60% (public school) and from 27% to 62% (private school) in response to an open-ended question.


CONCLUSIONS
There were other significant positive findings that demonstrate the efficacy of this peer-to-peer model educating high school students about lowering the risks of contracting HIV/AIDS. This model could also be used to prevent or mitigate other risky behaviors.
Fundación Amaneceres, Panama and pediatric resident Georgetown University Hospital, WA, USA.
María G
MG
Aramburú
Dora
D
Estripeaut
Stella
S
Rowley
Sharene
S
Smoot
Fermina
F
Chamorro
Vicente
V
Bayard
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010176:Panama; D010379:Peer Group; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires