Mindfulness-integrated reproductive health package for adolescents with parental HIV infection: a group-randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT

We assessed the effect of a mindfulness-integrated reproductive health (Mind-RH) intervention on knowledge on RH among adolescents with parental HIV and determined their associated factors. A group-randomized controlled trial was conducted among adolescents aged 10–16 years with HIV-infected parent(s) using Mind-RH intervention package. Four selected townships were randomized into two study townships and two control townships. Knowledge on RH and evaluation of mindfulness practice by mindfulness-based self-efficacy scale-revised were assessed at baseline, 3 months and 6 months. Multivariate multilevel regression was used to identify influencing factors of RH knowledge. A total of 160 adolescents (80 per group) were included. A significant improvement of mindfulness scores at 3 months was found overall and sustained at 6 months (p < 0.01). Univariate analysis showed significantly higher knowledge scores in the intervention group than in the control group at 3 and 6 months (p < 0.001). After adjusting for family type, age and HIV status of the adolescents, RH knowledge scores increased at 3 and 6 months in both groups, but at a higher rate at 3 months for adolescents in the intervention group. Early adolescents, HIV negative adolescents and those from extended families had lower knowledge scores (p < 0.01). The Mind-RH package significantly improved knowledge and mindfulness of adolescents with parental HIV. Longer follow-up is required to evaluate the long-term impact of this intervention.

KEYWORDS:

• Adolescent
• mindfulness
• reproductive health
• randomized controlled trial
• parental HIV infection

Acknowledgments

This study was a part of the thesis of the first author to fulfill the requirement of the doctoral degree in Epidemiology at Prince of Songkla University. Funding support for this study was provided by the Graduate School of Prince of Songkla University, Thailand and the Discipline of Excellence Project of Epidemiology Unit. We sincerely acknowledged the Director Generals of the Department of Medical Research and Department of Public Health for allowing us to conduct the study, program manager and the team leaders from the National AIDS Program, network of people living with HIV and self-help groups from the study townships for their kind coordination. We are also grateful to all the adolescents and their guardians who participated in the study.

Ethical approval

The study was approved by the Ethics Review Committee of the Department of Medical Research, Myanmar and the Institutional Ethical Review Board of Prince of Songkla University, Thailand. The protocol was registered in the Thai Clinical Trials Registry (TCTR20150429002) in April 2015.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

Funding support for this study was provided by the Graduate School of Prince of Songkla University, Thailand and the Discipline of Excellence Project of Epidemiology Unit