Safer Choices: a multicomponent school-based HIV/STD and pregnancy prevention program for adolescents

Given the serious consequences of HIV infection, other STDs, and pregnancy among teens, professionals must develop and evaluate new approaches to reduce risks associated with adolescent sexual behavior. The Safer Choices intervention is a comprehensive, theoretically based program designed to reduce risk behaviors and increase protective behaviors to prevent HIV, other STDs, and pregnancy among high school adolescents. The program includes five components: a School Health Promotion Council involving administrators, school staff, students, parents, and community members; curriculum and staff development activities; school environment activities designed and implemented by a team of peer educators; parent education activities; and school-community linkage activities. The School Health Promotion Council is responsible for planning and overseeing program implementation. This article describes the theoretical framework, process for intervention development, and key intervention strategies used in Safer Choices.