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).

DESIGN

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

SETTING

Elementary schools in the Bahamas.

PARTICIPANTS

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

INTERVENTIONS

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.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

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.