Jemmott III, J. B., Jemmott, L. S., & Fong, G. T. (1998).
Abstinence and safer sex HIV risk-reduction interventions for African American adolescents: A randomized controlled trial. JAMA, 279(19), 1529-1536. doi:10.1001/jama.279.19.1529
Type of Study:
Randomized controlled trial
Number of Participants:
659
Population:
- Age — 11-13 years (Mean=11.8 years)
- Race/Ethnicity — 100% African American
- Gender — 53% Female
- Status — Participants were 6th and 7th grade middle school volunteers.
Location/Institution:
Three middle schools serving low-income African American communities in Philadelphia, PA
Summary:
(To include basic study design, measures, results, and notable limitations)
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of abstinence and safer-sex HIV risk-reduction interventions on young inner-city African American adolescents' HIV sexual risk behaviors when implemented by adult facilitators as compared with peer co-facilitators. Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 interventions: an abstinence HIV intervention (Making Proud Choices!), a safer-sex HIV intervention, or a health promotion intervention that served as the control group. Measures utilized include self-reported sexual behaviors and the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale. Results indicate Making Proud Choices! participants were less likely to report having sexual intercourse in the 3 months after intervention than were control group participants, but not at 6- or 12-month follow-up. Safer-sex intervention participants reported significantly more consistent condom use than did control group participants at 3 and higher frequency of condom use at all follow-ups. Among adolescents who reported sexual experience at baseline, the safer-sex intervention group reported less sexual intercourse in the previous 3 months at 6- and 12-month follow-up than did control and Making Proud Choices! intervention and less unprotected intercourse at all follow-ups than did control group. There were no differences in intervention effects with adult facilitators as compared with peer co-facilitators. Limitations include reliance on self-reported measures and generalizability of findings due to race/ethnicity of participants.
Length of controlled postintervention follow-up:
3, 6, and 12 months.
