Horizons Projects | Programming for HIV Prevention in Mexican Schools

HORIZONS PROJECT
Programming for HIV Prevention in Mexican Schools

This study examined the effects of a school-based HIV prevention program on Mexican secondary school students. It was conducted in four of the eight high schools in Toluca, with two schools receiving the intervention and two schools serving as controls. To assess program effectiveness, all first-year students in the four study schools completed surveys at baseline, immediately after the intervention, six months after post-test, and 12 months after post-test.

Key findings include:

The program did not increase sexual activity.
The program improved students’ knowledge, including knowing that abstinence prevents HIV, and this improvement was maintained one year after the intervention.
Students in the intervention group gained confidence in their ability to obtain and use condoms.
The program helped improve students’ attitudes about people living with HIV and AIDS.
The curriculum did not have an effect on condom use among sexually experienced students.
Uncertainty about confidentiality and cultural values about sexual activity made some students hesitant to answer the survey questions.
Teacher training was personally beneficial and essential to the teachers’ ability to teach the course.
The intervention design needs to take into account the differences between males and females (e.g., although far fewer female students indicated having been sexually active compared to male students, findings suggest that female students may have older, more regular partners).

Location

Toluca, Mexico

Duration

June 1999–April 2002

Horizons and Population Council researchers

Ann McCauley

(For more information about this study, please contact horizons@popcouncil.org.)

Non-Council collaborators

Dennis Dobbs, Dilys Walker (consultants)

Instituto Mexicano de Investigación de Familia y Población

Donor

US Agency for International Development

Publications/Resources
Horizons and Population Council researchers' names appear in boldface type.

2003
McCauley, Ann, Martha Givaudan, Susan Pick, and Jessica Greene. "Programming for HIV prevention in Mexican schools," Horizons Research Summary. Washington, DC: Population Council. (full text)

2001
Stewart, Holley. "Reducing HIV infection among youth: What can schools do?" Horizons Report, Fall. Washington, DC: Population Council. (Contact horizons@popcouncil.org for a copy)

Stewart, Holley, Ann McCauley, Simon Baker, Martha Givaudan, Shegs James, Iwin Leenen, Susan Pick, Priscilla Reddy, Usasinee Rewthong, Patchara Rumakom, and Dilys Walker. "Reducing HIV infection among youth: What can schools do? Key baseline findings from Mexico, South Africa, and Thailand," Horizons Baseline Report. Washington, DC: Population Council. (PDF)

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