December 2003

Programming for HIV Prevention Among College Students in Thailand

Study Methods

The study used a quasi-experimental design to determine if the “Teens on Smart Sex” curriculum influenced knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of participating students. Six rajabhat (teacher training) colleges in central Thailand located within 90 km of Bangkok were selected for the study. All second-year students from three of the colleges received the intervention, while second-year students at the other three colleges served as the control group. Students completed a structured questionnaire three times: at baseline (T1); at post-intervention, or four months after baseline (T2); and at four months after post-intervention (T3). Data were collected using the audio-computer-assisted for self-interview (ACASI) system. This method of data collection was found to be a valid means of collecting sensitive information during a small, randomized trial carried out within one of the colleges prior to the main study.

A qualitative component was integrated into the study to more deeply explore students’ understanding of HIV/AIDS, their reactions to the course, and how exposure to the curriculum influenced students’ decision-making processes and sexual behavior. Eight focus group discussions (FGDs) were carried out in the intervention colleges, and two FGDs were carried out in the control colleges. In-depth interviews were also conducted within these same colleges.

Teachers received two three-day training sessions to equip them to teach the curriculum. The teachers completed a self-administered questionnaire prior to their training and upon completion of teaching the curriculum. The questionnaire addressed teacher concerns, attitudes about sex education, level of comfort and confidence teaching sensitive topics, and personal knowledge of HIV/AIDS. Teachers were trained in participatory methods and visited weekly during the course. Researchers also conducted 41 observations of the teachers as they taught, as well as six FGDs to assess teachers’ opinions of the course.

Study Subjects

In total, 2,450 students participated in the study, but for this report, only the 1,786 students who participated in all three rounds of data collection were included in the analysis. At T1, more than 95 percent of students were between 19 and 21 years old. Students lived in either private or college dormitories, with local monks, or with their families. Two-thirds of the students were female.

Thirty-five teachers were involved in implementing the “Teens on Smart Sex” curriculum. At the onset of the study, more than 80 percent of teachers had never taught sex education or HIV/AIDS issues in a classroom setting. Prior to the training, teachers were accustomed to using didactic rather than participatory teaching methods.

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This page updated
03 Jan 2009