Behavioral.ocial Sciences, FHI 360, Durham, NC 27713, USA.
Health Educ Res. 2012 Apr;27(2):359-69. doi: 10.1093/her/cyr103. Epub 2011 Nov 2.
Youth peer education (YPE) programs are a popular strategy for HIV prevention in sub-Saharan Africa. However, research on the effectiveness of YPE programs is scarce and the wide variation in programs makes it difficult to generalize research findings. Measuring quality and comparing program effectiveness require the use of standardized instruments. In this study, we used standardized evidenced-based instruments to compare program inputs, quality, outputs and outcomes for five YPE programs in Zambia. Clinic surveys were used to measure the following program outcomes: young people's exposure to the YPE programs and referrals of young people to clinics for HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing and other reproductive health services. The study revealed wide variation in the cost, quality and outcomes of YPE programs. Higher quality programs were associated with greater exposure and more referrals of youth to the clinics. However, one of the two highest quality programs achieved twice as many exposure and referral outcomes at about half the cost per peer educator of the more expensive program. Results indicate that the standardized instruments used in this study are useful for assessing and comparing program attributes among diverse YPE programs.
青年同伴教育(YPE)项目是撒哈拉以南非洲地区预防艾滋病毒的一种流行策略。然而,YPE 项目的有效性研究很少,而且项目的广泛差异使得难以推广研究结果。衡量质量和比较项目效果需要使用标准化工具。在这项研究中,我们使用标准化的循证工具,对赞比亚的五个YPE 项目的项目投入、质量、产出和结果进行了比较。诊所调查用于衡量以下项目结果:年轻人接触YPE 项目的情况以及年轻人因 HIV/性传播感染(STI)检测和其他生殖健康服务而转介到诊所的情况。研究表明,YPE 项目的成本、质量和结果存在广泛差异。更高质量的项目与年轻人更多的接触和更多的转介到诊所有关。然而,两个质量最高的项目之一以更昂贵项目的每个同伴教育者成本的一半左右实现了两倍的接触和转介结果。结果表明,本研究中使用的标准化工具可用于评估和比较不同 YPE 项目的项目属性。