Sexual Health and Blood-borne Virus Applied Research and Evaluation Network, Collaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, School of Public Health, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia.
Sexual Health and Blood-borne Virus Applied Research and Evaluation Network, Collaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, School of Public Health, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia; and Corresponding author. Email:
Sex Health. 2020 Nov;17(5):397-404. doi: 10.1071/SH20069.
Background Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in remote and very remote communities in Australia experience high rates of sexually transmissible infections (STIs), 4- to 29-fold the rates reported for non-Aboriginal people living in remote areas. Young people aged 16-29 years are particularly vulnerable to STIs. The Young Deadly Free (YDF) sexual health youth peer education program was implemented in 15 remote or very remote communities in four Australian jurisdictions in an effort to address endemic STI rates in these communities. The present study sought to evaluate the effect of YDF for Aboriginal young people.
Young people (n = 128) participated in youth peer educator training to deliver peer education sessions on sexual health topics to other young people in their communities. Pre and post surveys were used to examine changes in STI knowledge, attitudes and behavioural intentions of the young people attending the peer education sessions. GHRANITE software extracted deidentified STI testing data for young people attending 13 community health services.
Young people (n = 426) attended peer education sessions delivered by trained youth peer educators. Pre and post surveys were completed by 174 and 172 young people respectively (median age 20 years). Gains were reported in STI knowledge, intentions to test (χ2 = 10.58, d.f. = 4, n = 142, P < 0.001) and number of STI tests (50.8% increase from baseline). Feelings of shame associated with STI testing remained high (39.5% post survey).
Peer education can enhance the sexual health literacy of young Aboriginal people residing in remote communities. The extent to which knowledge gains result in behaviours that prevent STI transmission requires further evaluation. Normalising STI testing among Aboriginal young people would help reduce feelings of shame.
评估“年轻致死自由”（YDF）性健康青年同伴教育计划对澳大利亚原住民青年的效果。
年轻人（n=128）参加青年同伴教育者培训，以向社区中的其他年轻人提供性健康主题的同伴教育课程。采用预调查和后调查来检验参加同伴教育课程的年轻人的性传播感染（STI）知识、态度和行为意向的变化。GHRANITE 软件提取了参加 13 个社区卫生服务的年轻人的匿名 STI 检测数据。
有 426 名年轻人参加了由受过培训的青年同伴教育者提供的同伴教育课程。分别有 174 名和 172 名年轻人完成了预调查和后调查（中位数年龄 20 岁）。STI 知识、检测意愿（χ2=10.58，自由度=4，n=142，P<0.001）和 STI 检测数量（从基线增加 50.8%）都有了提高。与 STI 检测相关的羞耻感仍然很高（后调查为 39.5%）。
同伴教育可以提高居住在偏远社区的原住民年轻人的性健康素养。知识的提高在多大程度上导致了预防 STI 传播的行为，还需要进一步评估。在原住民年轻人中规范 STI 检测有助于减少羞耻感。
