Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health
Volume 6, Issue 3, 2018, Pages 115-121

Effectiveness of peer education approach on improving HIV/AIDS related healthy behaviors among immigrant street children: A randomized controlled trial (Article)

Khosravi N. , Kolifarhood G. , Shoghli A.* , Pashaeypoor S. , Amlashi M.
  • a Department of Community Health Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  • b Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  • c Social determinants of health research center, Social medicine department, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Member of National Committee on Monitoring and Evaluation of HIV/AIDS, Tehran, Iran
  • d Department of Community Health Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  • e Independent Consultant, United Nations Development Program office (UNDP), Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Objective: Foreign-origin street children are vulnerable to HIV/AIDS mainly due to poverty, violence, early sexual activity and poor access to health care services. This study aimed to highlight the effectiveness of peer education intervention to reduce HIV-risky behavior among street children with Afghan nationality. Methods: Sixty-one street children were stratified by sex and then randomly allocated to either an intervention or control group by assigning each participant computerized random numbers. The intervention provided peer education services, focused on mode of disease transmission, prevention approaches and awareness of HIV/AIDS services by peers. Results: At least 80% of participants in the intervention and control groups completed the study period, respectively. At the end of the study, statistically significant increase of knowledge and attitude improvement as well as a decreased tendency to do risky sexual intercourse among the intervention subjects was shown. Moreover, there was a time intervention interaction for knowledge and attitude improvements followed by intervention (interaction p value = 0.001), while it was not significant for risky sexual behavior (interaction p value = 0.44). Conclusion: Peer education was an effective and easy-to-apply educational method that increased knowledge and improved attitudes about HIV/AIDS among foreign-origin street children, while it was less efficient with regard to long-term reduction in risky sexual behavior. © 2017

Author Keywords

Immigrant Street children peer education HIV/AIDS

Index Keywords

immigrant peer education Afghan human risk assessment health service group therapy priority journal controlled study randomized controlled trial child behavior knowledge Adolescent male female Article feasibility study major clinical study health education sexual intercourse risk reduction adolescent sexual behavior acquired immune deficiency syndrome attitude to health homeless youth therapy effect behavior change Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85030250479&doi=10.1016%2fj.cegh.2017.09.004&partnerID=40&md5=58daca4a2f5cc3db0d819c2bcc1b2df6
DOI: 10.1016/j.cegh.2017.09.004
ISSN: 22133984
Original Language: English