HIV/STD Prevention for High-Risk Youth in Liberia

描述（由申请人提供）：该项目的目标是在利比里亚青年中预防艾滋病毒/性病。该项目有两个具体目标：（1）主要目标是在15-17岁高危利比里亚青年中调整、实施和严格评估有效的艾滋病毒/性传播疾病干预方案;（2）次要目标是提高利比里亚研究小组和社区利益攸关方成功实施拟议研究的能力。将从包括利比里亚首都蒙罗维亚在内的蒙特塞拉多州的蒙罗维亚综合学校系统和青年服务组织内的学校招募合格青年，并随机分配到两个条件之一：作出自豪的选择（干预）和一般保健方案（对照）。做出自豪的选择（MPC）是一个以研究为基础的，8个模块，以行为为基础的方案，强调在不同文化背景的高危青年中减少艾滋病毒/性病风险。一般保健方案是一个由8个单元组成的保健方案，提供关于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团队根据广泛的文献综述和先前研究开发和/或改编。干预和控制条件将由经过培训的项目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、项目完成以及干预后6个月和12个月的随访时进行评估。结果指标将评估主要结果（无保护性交和安全套使用的频率）和次要结果（例如，HIV/STD防护知识、自我效能和社会能力技能）。过程措施将评估实施质量和各种方案的特点和动态。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毒/性病干预研究项目。本项目开发的产品（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，在区域会议上介绍，并在同行评审的期刊上发表。

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.