A School-Based HIV/STD Prevention Program to Reduce Risky Sexual Behaviors Among Adolescents in Liberia

May 17, 2013 updated by: Stephen B. Kennedy, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation

Liberia School-Based HIV/STD Prevention Program

This study will evaluate the effectiveness of a school-based HIV/sexually transmitted disease prevention program in reducing sexual risk behaviors of youth attending school in Liberia.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

Currently, more than 60 million people have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS worldwide. It is estimated that about two-thirds of all HIV infections are among people in Africa. The African country of Liberia, in particular, is experiencing an increase in HIV/sexually transmitted disease (STD) infections and is in need of improved HIV/STD-related prevention programs. With the majority of the new infections occurring among people who are between 15 and 29 years old, new HIV/STD prevention programs are needed to educate youth about proper condom use and risks associated with sexual behaviors. Previous research has suggested that behavioral interventions can reduce adolescents' sexual behaviors that are tied to risk of acquiring STDs. The evidenced-based HIV prevention program, Making Proud Choices, is an intervention originally designed for community settings in the United States, but is currently being adapted in schools of certain sub-Saharan African countries. Adapting this community-based curriculum to school-based settings and cultural contexts within Liberia may be effective in reducing risky sexual behaviors in Liberian adolescents. This study will compare the effectiveness of a school-based HIV/STD prevention program that draws on the curriculum of Making Proud Choices versus a general health promotion program in reducing sexual risk behaviors of youth attending school in Liberia.

Participation in this study will involve two phases. Phase 1 will last 8 months and will be used to adapt the community-based curriculum of Making Proud Choices to school-based settings and contexts within Liberia. Data to guide the integration and cultural adaptation of the curriculum will be collected from school administrators, students, health educators, and community-based organizations through focus groups, group discussions, and interviews.

Phase 2 will last about 12 months and will include junior high schools in Liberia. Participating schools will be assigned randomly to provide the adapted HIV prevention curriculum or a general health promotion curriculum. Before starting course modules, students receiving either curriculum will complete questionnaires about their risk-associated sexual behaviors and knowledge about condom use and abstinence. Both curriculums will include eight 1-hour modules delivered weekly over 8 weeks. The HIV prevention curriculum will focus on increasing knowledge about preventing HIV, STDs, and pregnancy; improving condom use skills; increasing confidence in the ability to negotiate safer sex and to use condoms correctly; and lowering the incidence of sexual-risk behavior. The general health promotion curriculum will focus on teaching students healthful behaviors, including eating habits, physical activity, dental hygiene, and avoidance of cigarette smoking and substance abuse. All participants will repeat the initial questionnaires immediately after completing the curriculum and 3, 6, and 9 months after the curriculum ends.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

866

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

    • Montserrado County
      • Monrovia, Montserrado County, Liberia
        • University of Liberia

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

13 years to 15 years (Child)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • A 6th or 7th grader attending school in Liberia

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Not enrolled in the study schools

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: 1
Participating schools will deliver HIV/STD prevention modules.
The curriculum will include eight 1-hour HIV prevention modules administered weekly for 8 weeks. The modules will educate youth about risky sexual behaviors and will provide them with knowledge and skills necessary to reduce their risk of STDs, HIV, and pregnancy by abstaining from sex or using condoms if they choose to have sex. The curriculum is based on cognitive behavioral theories, focus groups, and the researchers' experience working with youth.
Other Names:
  • Making Proud Choices!
Active Comparator: 2
Participating schools will deliver general health promotion modules.
The curriculum will include eight 1-hour general health modules administered weekly for 8 weeks. The curriculum will focus on teaching students healthful behaviors, including eating habits, physical activity, dental hygiene, and avoidance of cigarette smoking and substance abuse.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Frequency of unprotected sex
Time Frame: Measured at Month 12
Measured at Month 12

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Stephen B. Kennedy, MD, MPH, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

November 1, 2008

Primary Completion (Actual)

March 1, 2011

Study Completion (Actual)

March 1, 2011

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 13, 2008

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 13, 2008

First Posted (Estimate)

June 17, 2008

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

May 20, 2013

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 17, 2013

Last Verified

May 1, 2013

More Information

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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