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Evaluating HIV/AIDS education in the university setting
D Schneider1, M R Greenberg, M Devanas
1Rutgers, State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick.
Journal of American College Health : J of ACH
|July 1, 1994
Summary
College students possess substantial human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) knowledge and practice safer sex. Educational interventions may struggle to show significant behavioral changes due to this high baseline awareness.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Education
- Epidemiology
Background:
- College students often have high baseline knowledge of HIV/AIDS.
- Pre-existing safer sex practices are common among this demographic.
- Assessing behavioral changes from HIV/AIDS education requires accounting for this background.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate learning and behavioral changes from an HIV/AIDS education course.
- To compare students in an HIV/AIDS course with those in general biology classes.
- To assess the impact of targeted education on knowledgeable students.
Main Methods:
- Paired and unpaired t tests were used for statistical comparison.
- Multivariate discriminant analysis was employed.
- Student responses from an HIV/AIDS course were compared to a control group.
Main Results:
- Students in the HIV/AIDS course showed significant knowledge gains.
- Campus-wide general knowledge of HIV/AIDS exceeded expectations.
- Many students already practiced risk-reducing behaviors.
Conclusions:
- Demonstrating significant behavioral changes from classroom education is challenging.
- High baseline knowledge and existing behaviors influence outcome assessment.
- Future HIV/AIDS education strategies may need to target specific knowledge gaps or advanced behaviors.