Sexual Health Knowledge, Self-Efficacy and Behavioral Intentions Following a Health Fair for Adolescents

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Disparities
• Adolescent Health

Background:

• High human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) rates persist among urban African American youth.
• There is a critical need for effective HIV prevention education before sexual activity onset.
• Culturally relevant interventions are essential for this demographic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the "Stomping Out HIV" intervention's impact on HIV/STI knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors.
• To assess the intervention's effectiveness in increasing self-efficacy for healthy choices.
• To determine the intervention's satisfaction levels among youth and parents.

Main Methods:

• The "Stomping Out HIV" intervention combined a health fair and step show.
• Pre- and post-intervention questionnaires assessed knowledge, satisfaction, intended behavior changes, and self-efficacy.
• Data were collected from urban African American youth and their parents.

Main Results:

• Participants reported significant increases in health knowledge and self-efficacy post-intervention.
• Youth and adults demonstrated greater confidence in making healthier choices related to HIV and STI prevention.
• The intervention was met with high satisfaction among both youth and adult participants.

Conclusions:

• Culturally tailored health initiatives, like "Stomping Out HIV," can effectively improve HIV/STI knowledge and self-efficacy.
• Sociocultural approaches in health education show significant positive impacts on urban youth and adults.
• Interventions integrating community events can be a powerful tool for public health education.