Chen H; International Conference on AIDS.

Int Conf AIDS. 2000 Jul 9-14; 13: abstract no. TuPeD3569.

H. Chen, Beijing Medical University, Beijing 100083, China, Tel.: +86 10 620 731 82, Fax: +86 10 628 095 23, E-mail: lijuncheng@188.net

SummaryBackground:Since the first case of AIDS was reported in 1985 in the mainland of China, the number of HIV/AIDS cases has increased rapidly, especially in the southern provinces and economically booming zooms. As of September 30,1999, a total of 15088 HIV/AIDS cases, including 0.5% infections ages> 15, and 9.0% infections from 16 to 19 years old, had been reported by the monitoring report of Ministry of Health, China. It is estimated by experts that the real infectious cases of HIV/AIDS may be over 0.4 millions at the end of 1998. China has entered an increasing rapidly period of HIV/AIDS infection. In fact, the existed cases of HIV /AIDS among young people may likely over the reported numbers. Viewing the situation of HIV/AIDS epidemic in China, One of the major problems facing school-age children today is HIV infection. They face fear if they are ignorant; suffering and death if they are not able to protect themselves from this preventable disease.While HIV/AIDS continues to infect and affect without a cure, it is believed in nationwide that prevention represents the only viable way to control the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Middle schools provide critical opportunities for HIV/STD prevention because many youth middle school-ages have yet to participate in risky behaviors. In schools, adolescents can acquire the knowledge, attitudes, values, skills and support needed to avoid HIV/STD infection before they are faced with making decision, such as related sex, drug abuse, and other health problems.How high or low that endemic level will be, will mainly depend on the effectiveness of the school HIV/AIDS prevention programs that are now being developed. China has been challenged and pushed to be at the crucial and extremely urgent moment for the school-based HIV/AIDS prevention.Shenzhen City is a highest economically booming zoom in Guangdong Province. With the young people moving to this area, the number of sex workers is increased and the risk of STD and HIV infection is on the rise because of drug abuse and high risky sexual activity. Adolescents living in this area has to be faced this problem. They really need protect themselves from HIV/AIDS/STD.Objectives:This study was aiming at gathering information concerning the implement of HIV/AIDS prevention in secondary schools and evaluating the change of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors over one year period intervention on HIV/AIDS prevention in secondary school students.Methods:Information was derived from two questionnaire-based anonymous surveys. The first survey was conducted with students in a random selection of 10 secondary schools in Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province.The intervention was a comprehensive HIV/AIDS education. The second survey was held after the health curriculum related HIV/AIDS prevention in year 7 and extra curriculum activities in year 10.The 1998 sample included 3942 respondents (1903 cases in year 7; 2039 cases in year 10), while the 1999 study included 3944 students (2035 cases in year 8, 1909 cases in year 11). 315 students were selected as the control group (no intervention was implemented among them until the program finished).Participatory method and integrating HIV/STD education with health education, substance use, and other appropriate subject areas were used to provide information of HIV/AIDS prevention, sexuality and drug abuse, and the skill of protecting peer pressure to middle school students. Attracting participants is critical. Program component ideas include adding other topics for a more attractive bundle; ensuring confidentiality; and ensuring no lecturing, preaching, or nagging by Chinese culture background.Data analysis: statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 8.0 and SPSS-PC for windows. In this report, the statistical significance of comparison between 1998 and 1999 were evaluated using univariate Chi-square tests.Results:The results indicated that there have significant changes as a result of the program:(1) knowledge: awareness of AIDS, ways in which the HIV in transmitted and how to prevent HIV/AIDS. The knowledge mean scores of 1999 were significantly higher than that of 1998. (Male: from 7.47jA3.73 in 1998 to 10.21jA3.31 in 1999 in year 7; from 10.30jA2.58 in 1998 to 11.09jA2.51 in 1999 in year 10; Female: from 7.17jA3.54 in 1998 to 10.20jA3.25 in 1999 in year 7; from 9.58jA2.78 in 1998 to 10.55jA2.60 in 1999 in year 10;).(2) Attitude: the attitudes of students toward HIV positive people were generally supportive, especially in year 7, there has been improved significantly (Male: from 22.6% in 1998 to 34.9% in 1999; female: from 24.4% in 1998 to 41.5% in 1999;).(3) Behavior: The resources from which students obtain the related knowledge are wider than before the activities or the introduction .The rates of obtaining knowledge from school, parents, relatives and friends were increased.(4) Compared to the change of other high risk behaviors, such as violating traffic rules, to go swimming in a place where there is no adult or lifeguard and no other protection and attempted suicide during the past 12 months, there was not a significant difference at the end of this program. The result shows the intervention on HIV/AIDS prevention is effectiveness. (5) The change of knowledge about drug use was significant. The result showed that the intervention has not only an effective impact on HIV/AIDS prevention, but also on related problem (such as drug abuse). (6) There were significant differences in knowledge scores, behavior between the test group and the control group. The result showed that the test group was much easily inclinable to treating AIDS normally, such as willing to be in the same class with a student with AIDS/HIV infection.Conclusions:Findings of this study suggested that(1) The effectiveness of health education on HIV/AIDS prevention is prosperous. The approaches should match the characters of students.(2) Compared to conventional class-based learning, Participatory method and active teaching materials are effective ways.(3) HIV education in school should be provided along with health education, life skills, and drug abuse to maximize investments in youth and education.(4) It was expected that further effort concerning extra curriculum activities in senior high school, while quality improvement of the curriculum in junior high schools.Keywords: HIV/AIDS Prevention InterventionHealth Education Curriculum Secondary School Students

Publication Types:

• Meeting Abstracts

Keywords:

• Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
• Adolescent
• Adult
• Case-Control Studies
• Child
• China
• Curriculum
• Educational Status
• Female
• HIV Infections
• HIV Seropositivity
• Health Education
• Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
• Humans
• Infection
• Knowledge
• Male
• Questionnaires
• Schools
• Sexual Behavior
• Students
• education
• methods
• therapy

Other ID:

• GWAIDS0002133

UI: 102239626

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