Abstract

TORRES, Pilar; WALKER, Dilys M.; GUTIERREZ, Juan Pablo  and  BERTOZZI, Stefano M.. A novel school-based strategy for the prevention of HIV/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Disease (STDs), and teen pregnancies. Salud pública Méx [online]. 2006, vol.48, n.4, pp.308-316. ISSN 0036-3634.

OBJECTIVE: To introduce the study design of an HIV/AIDS and unplanned pregnancy prevention program targeting high school students, and to present the results from the baseline survey. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A school curriculum was developed to inform adolescent students about HIV/AIDS/STD prevention, which included information on emergency contraception (EC) for adolescent students. A randomized controlled study was conducted to simultaneously evaluate the effect of this intervention. The baseline survey collected data on contraception knowledge and attitudes regarding sexual behaviors. RESULTS: A total of 11 117 students from 40 schools participated in the baseline (52% female, the mean age of both males and females was 15.5). A total of 10% of the females and 24% of the men surveyed were sexually active at baseline, but only 39% of those sexually active reported using a condom at the time of their first sexual intercourse. Among the sexually active students surveyed, a third of the males and a fifth of the females reported at least one condom slip or breakage. Most of the students were aware of EC. CONCLUSIONS: The low proportion of students that report using condoms accompanied by their incorrect use points to the need for HIV/AIDS and unplanned pregnancy prevention efforts. This novel approach offers adolescents EC, a backup method to the condom. The approach is feasible as students know what EC is and furthermore it appears that they are willing to use this method.

Keywords : educative interventions; HIV/AIDS/STD; Emergency Contraception (EC).

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