African American Adolescent Females: Mother-Involved HIV Risk-Reduction Intervention

Abstract

African American adolescent females continue to be at disproportionate high risk for HIV infection. A repeated measures quasi-experimental comparison group design compared an HIV risk-reduction intervention delivered by mothers with an HIV risk-reduction intervention delivered by health professionals and with a health promotion intervention delivered by mothers. The three interventions were randomly assigned to one of three geographical distinct sites. A convenience sample of 553 low-income African American adolescent girls with a baseline age of 11 to 14 years participated in the study. The results revealed that over a 6-month period, compared to girls in the health promotion intervention, the girls in the HIV risk-reduction interventions had significant higher scores on HIV transmission knowledge, condom attitudes, and self-efficacy to use condoms. The implication is mothers who receive appropriate training may be able to deliver HIV risk reduction to their daughters as well as health professionals.