| Learning Objective #1: Describe the steps necessary for a successful community/academic research collaboration | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Discuss the components of a couple-focused HIV prevention program for young parents |
Background: Before becoming parents, many teens have engaged in activities that have placed them at risk for HIV; e.g., unprotected sex and heavy substance use. While young mothers have benefited from pregnant minor and parent education programs, and to some extent from HIV prevention services, teen fathers have generally been ignored and underserved. In collaboration with a community-based organization (CBO) with demonstrated success in providing innovative services to teen fathers, a culturally sensitive HIV prevention program for parenting teen couples was developed and pilot-tested.
Methods: The curriculum incorporated principles from social-cognitive theory, theory of reasoned action, theory of gender and power, and “Healing the Wounded Spirit” (Tello, 1998). This curriculum was pilot-tested and outcomes were compared with a “standard” HIV education control condition. Recruitment sites included 4 CBOs and 7 alternative schools. Written questionnaires in English or Spanish were completed by 49 teen couples pre- and post-intervention and at 3- and 6- month follow-up. The instrument packet contained scales and individual items designed to measure selected sociodemographic characteristics and key outcomes.
Results: A significantly greater decrease in the proportion of unprotected sex episodes over time was observed among participants in the intervention group compared to the control group. Both groups increased significantly on AIDS knowledge.
Implications: This project demonstrates the building of a community's capacity to promote health and prevent disease through collaborative research. The HIV prevention program proved realistic for implementation in the community and was well accepted by inner-city Latino adolescent fathers and mothers. Such an approach can be adapted to fit the concerns of other groups engaged in prevention of HIV and other diseases.