Abstract
A quasi-experimental study is reported with four measurement occasions to evaluate longer-term effects of a life-skills and HIV/AIDS school-based prevention program. Trained teachers administered the program promoting precursors of safer sex behavior to 2064 Mexican high-school students at an age before most were sexually active. The variables included in the study (knowledge about HIV/AIDS prevention, attitudes towards use of condoms, subjective norms, intentions to use condoms and life skills as decision-making skills, partner communication and individual responsibility) have been reported as precursors of protective sexual behavior. The results demonstrate the stability of training effects and a positive impact on these precursors over 1 year of follow-up.
Acknowledgement
This research was financially supported by the Horizons and Population Council (Grant number A 199.51A and by IMIFAP (Grant MB.1411), to whom we would like to express our appreciation. In addition, we would like to thank the authorities, and the staff and adolescents of the high schools of the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico (UAEM) for their collaboration. We are also much indebted to Marco A. Barriga, Rocio Martínez, Ann McCauley, and Dylis Walker for her help through various stages of the project.