HIV/AIDS education among incarcerated youth

A curriculum for prevention of risk-behaviors related to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), pregnancy, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS was developed for incarcerated youth, ages thirteen to nineteen. Spanning five general goal areas of self-esteem, communication and condom negotiation, knowledge, attitude, and behavior, the curriculum was developed to encompass twenty-one to twenty-four hours of training. Participants were ninety-nine incarcerated youth at a detention center in the southeastern US. With a pretest-posttest format, assessment of goals consisted of one to twenty items per objective, using t-test comparisons. With eighteen objectives, a significant change (p = 0.05 or less) was found from pretest to posttest in fourteen areas. Areas with greatest change impact were self-esteem, peer mentor communication, knowledge tin five content areas), perceived susceptibility, and intentions to decrease risk behaviors. Curriculum and assessment items are included in the Appendix, as well as demographics and plans for future studies. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.