All About Youth: Evaluation of Sexual Risk Avoidance and Risk Reduction Programs for Middle School Students

Overview

This study will evaluate the efficacy of two curricula relative to standard care. The first is a sexual risk avoidance curriculum for middle school students that included abstinence until marriage and complies with Title V Section 510 A-H abstinence education requirements. The second is a sexual risk reduction curriculum for middle school students that included abstinence and condom/contraceptive information and skills. Each intervention consists of an age-appropriate classroom curriculum and a CD-ROM-based tailored intervention delivered in 7th and 8th grade. The overall goal of the study is to identify common elements of effective sexuality education curricula that will be of benefit to youth.

This study will evaluate the efficacy of a risk avoidance program for middle school students and a theoretically-comparable risk reduction program relative to standard care. The study design is a randomized controlled trial conducted in fifteen inner-city middle schools in Houston, Texas. Five schools were randomly assigned to a risk avoidance intervention, five to a risk reduction intervention, and five to a comparison (standard care) condition. Approximately, 1,800 7th grade students were recruited into the study and will be followed over a three-year period. Based on a formative study, a pilot study, and input from community groups and a national panel of experts, two comparable curricula were developed. The risk avoidance curriculum emphasizes sexual abstinence until marriage and includes the requirements for abstinence education as defined in Title V, Section 510. The risk reduction curriculum emphasizes abstinence and addresses condom and contraceptive use. The risk avoidance and risk reduction interventions each consist of an age-appropriate classroom curriculum and a CD-ROM-based tailored intervention delivered in 7th and 8th grade. Each intervention was delivered by trained facilitators. The effect of the interventions will be evaluated by assessing sexual risk-taking behaviors of participants in each intervention (proportion of students initiating sexual intercourse, proportion that are sexually active, number of times of unprotected sex, number of sexual partners) relative to the comparison group. Risk assessment data from students was collected by using an audio computer-assisted self-interview (ACASI) approach for the collection of baseline, 6-, 18-, and 24-month data. Parental permission and child assent were required prior to participation. In addition, we will conduct a 36-month follow-up survey and a one-time urine-based test for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomonas which will provide additional longitudinal data to assess the impact of each curriculum, relative to standard care.