AIDS Education and Counseling in an Office Setting

Guide to Effective Programs
for Children and Youth

AIDS EDUCATION AND COUNSELING

IN AN OFFICE SETTING

OVERVIEW

Two physician-delivered HIV-counseling protocols were developed. The first – a standard care protocol – consisted of ten minutes of counseling on HIV and condom use. The second – an extended intervention protocol – consisted of standard care and an additional ten minutes of counseling by a physician on minimizing the risk for HIV. In a random assignment study, patients assigned to receive standard care were compared with patients assigned to receive the extended intervention care. At the two-month follow-up, both standard care and intervention patients reported having improved their reproductive health behaviors (less sexual activity, fewer partners, and more consistent condom use), but no significant differences were found between groups on any outcome variables. Intervention patients had sex just as frequently as standard care patients, were no more likely to use condoms, were no less likely to have acquired a new STD, had no fewer sexual partners, and were no more likely to have been tested for HIV.

DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM

Target population: high-risk adolescents

Some survey research indicates that adolescents prefer to receive HIV counseling and education from physicians, as opposed to school educators or parents. For this reason, a physician-delivered HIV-counseling program was developed. This program allowed high-risk adolescents to receive individualized information about HIV risks and prevention strategies.

EVALUATION(S) OF PROGRAM

Mansfield, C. J., Conroy, M. E., Emans, S. J., & Woods, E. R. (1993). A Pilot Study of AIDS Education and Counseling of High-Risk Adolescents in an Office Setting. Journal of Adolescent Health, 14, 115-119.

Evaluated population: 90 patients in the Adolescent Clinic at an urban children’s hospital in the northeastern United States served as the study sample for this investigation. Patients were predominantly female (92%) and black (81%). All patients were sexually active and had undergone treatment for at least one sexually transmitted disease.

Approach: Patients were recruited in the winter of 1990 and were randomly assigned to either the standard care condition or the intervention condition. Patients assigned to the standard care condition were provided with an individualized risk assessment for HIV, counseling on condom use, a brochure on HIV, and they were offered free condoms. Standard care lasted approximately 10 minutes. Patients assigned to the intervention condition received standard care and an additional 10 minutes of counseling with a doctor. During these additional 10 minutes, patients and physicians discussed susceptibility to HIV, HIV prevention, efficacy of condoms, drug use, and HIV testing. Physicians asked intervention patients more specific questions about recent risk behavior and knowledge of HIV testing and treatment.

Each patient completed questionnaires before seeing his/her physician. Approximately two months after his/her appointment, each patient was contacted by the physician and completed a follow-up questionnaire.

Results: At the two-month follow-up, both standard care and intervention patients reported having improved their reproductive health behaviors. For example, patients in both groups reported less sexual activity, fewer partners, and more consistent condom use. However, no significant differences were found between groups on any outcome variables. Intervention patients had sex just as frequently as standard care patients, were no more likely to use condoms, were no less likely to have acquired a new STD, had no fewer sexual partners, and were no more likely to have been tested for HIV.

SOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION

Curriculum materials unavailable for purchase.

References:

Program categorized in this guide according to the following:

Evaluated participant ages: 15-19

Program age ranges in the guide: Youth

Program components: Counseling/Therapy, Clinic/Provider-Based

Measured outcomes: Reproductive Health

Program information last updated on 9/18/07.