Untitled

Abstract

Runaway youth are 6-12 times more likely to become infected with HIV than other youth. Using a quasi-experimental design, the efficacy of an HIV prevention program was evaluated over 2 years among 2 groups of runaways: (1) those at 2 shelters who received Street Smart, an intensive HIV intervention program, and (2) youth at 2 control shelters. Street Smart provided youth with access to health care and condoms and delivered a 10-session skill-focused prevention program based on social learning theory to youth. Prior to analysis of the intervention's outcomes, propensity scores were used to identify comparable subgroups of youth in the intervention (n = 101) and control conditions (n = 86). Compared to females in the control condition, females in the intervention condition significantly reduced their unprotected sexual acts at 2 years and alcohol use, marijuana use, and the number of drugs used over 12 months. Male adolescents in the intervention condition showed significant reductions in marijuana use over 6 months compared to control youth. Adolescent HIV prevention programs must proactively identify mechanisms for maintaining behavior change over the long-term, and innovative research designs are needed to allow examination of agency-level interventions.

HIV-Risk Reduction with Juvenile Offenders on Probation

“…PHAT Life was adapted from three empirically-supported interventions for high-risk youth: Rikers Health Advocacy Program (Magura, Kang, & Shapiro, 1994), Street Smart (Rotheram-Borus et al, 2003), and Project STYLE (Donenberg, Brown, Hadley, Kapungu, & Lescano, 2012). Guided by a combination of social learning theory (Bandura, 1986) and a Social-Personal Framework (Donenberg & Pao, 2005), PHAT Life was designed to target broad psychosocial factors implicated in HIV-risk behavior, including knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about HIV/AIDS and substance use, emotion regulation, peer influence, and partner relationships.…”

Respecting the circle of life: one year outcomes from a randomized controlled comparison of an HIV risk reduction intervention for American Indian adolescents

“…In the broader US population, several evidence-based interventions (EBIs) have been shown to reduce risk for HIV (DiClemente et al, 2004;Jemmott, Jemmott, & Fong, 1992;Rotheram-Borus et al, 2003;St Lawrence et al, 1995). However, no rigorous evaluations of the EBIs documented by the CDC (http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/ prevention/research/compendium/rr/complete.html) have been conducted with an exclusive sample of AIs.…”

Protective Factors Associated with Fewer Multiple Problem Behaviors Among Homeless/Runaway Youth

“…This theory is the basis for many behavioral interventions and has guided programs that aim to change the trajectory of risk in this population. The theory suggests targeting knowledge, attitudes, goal planning and setting, and behavior to build planning and problem-solving skills that address barriers for behavioral changes (Haignere et al, 2000; Hyun, Chung, & Lee, 2005; Rew, Fouladi, Land, & Wong, 2007; Rotheram-Borus, Koopman, & Haignere, 1991; Rotheram-Borus et al, 2003; Slesnick & Kang, 2008). These skills support an overall self-reliant coping style allowing a youth to maintain positive cognitions or attitudes and directly address rather than avoid or escape problems.…”

“…These skills may be protective for multiple problem behaviors by leading youth to make healthy choices when faced with challenging situations specific to sex, substance use, or delinquent behavior. Training in problem solving and goal setting or planning skills has been a central feature in many youth interventions for prevention of sex risk behavior (Givaudan, Leenen, Van de Vijver, Poortinga, & Pick, 2008; Herbst et al, 2007; Lederman & Mian, 2003; Pedlow & Carey, 2004; Rotheram-Borus et al, 2003), substance abuse (Epstein, Griffin, & Botvin, 2002; Hansen, 1992; Sun, Skara, Sun, Dent, & Sussman, 2006; Tebes et al, 2007), and delinquent behavior or conduct problems (Mager, Milich, Harris, & Howard, 2005; Martsch, 2005; Rohde, Jorgensen, Seeley, & Mace, 2004). Despite the centrality of problem solving and goal setting for a range of youth risk behaviors, there is fairly limited research examining the association between these factors and adolescent risk behavior.…”