HIV/STD Prevention for High-Risk Youth in Liberia

描述（由申请人提供）：这个项目的目标是在利比里亚的年轻人中预防艾滋病毒/性病。该项目有两个具体目标：(1)主要目标是在利比里亚15-17岁高风险青年中进行文化调整、实施和严格评估有效的艾滋病毒/性病干预方案；(2)第二个目标是提高利比里亚研究团队和社区利益相关者成功实施拟议研究的能力。符合条件的青年将从蒙罗维亚综合学校系统（MCSS）和蒙特塞拉多县（包括利比里亚首都蒙罗维亚）的青年服务组织（YSOs）内的学校招募，并随机分配到两个条件中的一个：做出自豪的选择（干预）和一般卫生方案（对照）。“做出值得骄傲的选择”（Making Proud Choices， MPC）是一个以研究为基础、8个模块、以行为为基础的项目，强调在不同文化背景的高危青少年中降低艾滋病/性病风险。一般健康方案（GHP）是一个由8个模块组成的健康方案，提供有关预防影响利比里亚青年的常见健康状况的基本信息。所有干预材料将由研究小组根据广泛的文献综述和先前的研究开发和/或改编。干预和控制条件将由训练有素的项目共同协调员在单独的小组环境中对青少年进行管理，然后在基线、项目完成情况以及干预后6个月和12个月的随访中进行评估。结果测量将评估主要结果（无保护性交和使用避孕套的频率）和次要结果（例如，艾滋病毒/性病保护知识、自我效能和社会能力技能）。过程度量将评估实施质量和各种程序特征和动态。能力建设活动将围绕文化适应、行为理论和有效实施拟议的艾滋病/性病干预研究项目展开。该项目开发的产品（即手册、小册子、报告和手稿）将在讲习班上传播，在利比里亚的最终用户会议上与社区利益攸关方和国家政府分享，在区域会议上提出，并在同行评议的期刊上发表。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of this project is to prevent HIV/STD among youth in Liberia. The project has two specific aims: (1) the primary aim is to culturally adapt, implement, and rigorously evaluate an effective HIV/STD intervention program among high-risk Liberian youth aged 15-17 years; and (2) the secondary aim is to increase the capacity of the Liberian research team and community stakeholders to successfully implement the proposed study. Eligible youth will be recruited from schools within the Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS) and youth-serving organizations (YSOs) in Montserrado County which includes Monrovia, the capital city of Liberia and randomly assigned to one of two conditions: Making Proud Choices (intervention) and a General Health Program (control). Making Proud Choices (MPC) is a research-based, 8-module, behavioral-based program that stresses HIV/STD risk reduction among high-risk youth of diverse cultural backgrounds. The General Health Program (GHP) is an 8-module health program that provides basic information on the prevention of common health conditions that affect Liberian youth. All intervention material will be developed and/or adapted by the research team based on extensive literature review and prior research. The intervention and control conditions will be administered to youth in separate small group settings by trained program co-facilitators and then evaluated at baseline, program completion, and at 6- and 12-month post-intervention follow-ups. Outcome measures will assess primary outcomes (frequency of unprotected sexual intercourse and condom use) and secondary outcomes (e.g., HIV/STD protective knowledge, self-efficacy, and social competency skills). Process measures will assess implementation quality and various program characteristics and dynamics. Capacity building activities will revolve around the cultural adaptation, behavioral theories, and effective implementation of the proposed HIV/STD intervention research project. Products developed from this project (i.e., manuals, brochures, reports, and manuscripts) will be disseminated at workshops, shared with community stakeholders and the national government at an end-user conference in Liberia, presented at regional conferences, and published in peer- reviewed journals.