The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #67476

Donald Morisky, ScD¹, Chrystene Nguyen, MPH², and Alfonso Ang, PhD¹. (1) Department of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, 650 Charles E. Young Drive South, CHS 26-070, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1772, 310-825-8508, dmorisky@ucla.edu, (2) Community Health Sciences, UCLA School of Public Health, 650 Charles E. Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095

Purpose: This study assesses the short and long-term impact of a two-year community-based peer education program aimed at increasing STD/HIV knowledge, attitudes toward condoms, and condom use behavior among taxicab and tricycle drivers in the Philippines. Design: A quasi-experimental, cross-over design was used to allocate four groups of taxi and tricycle drivers (200 males in each group) into an intervention and control group, with a cross-over at time 2. All groups completed a baseline, post-test, and follow-up assessment. Peer educators were responsible for analyzing data specific to their transportation organization and developing educational materials which responded to diagnostic findings. Results: Baseline findings indicated no significant differences in knowledge, attitudes or practices between the two groups of drivers. Post-test results of the program indicate a large significant change in knowledge about HIV/AIDS from baseline to post-test (t = 2.09, p< 0.039), and continued positive changes from post-test to follow-up. There was also a significant increase in attitudes towards condom use from baseline to post-test (t = 4.03, p< 0.001), and from post-test to follow-up. Most importantly, little change in condom use behavior was found at post-test assessment, however a large significant effect was identified at follow-up (t = 4.82, p< 0.001). The intervention was relatively more effective for tricycle drivers than taxi drivers with respect to change in knowledge and attitudes. Conclusion/Policy Implications: The peer-mediated intervention was found to be an effective means of HIV/AIDS prevention among taxi and tricycle drivers in the Philippines. Policy implication of this program identify how management and community based NGOs can contribute to STD/HIV prevention through a participatory action research approach.

Learning Objectives:

Participatne attending this session will be able to:
• State the utility of a participatory approach to worksite health education
• Identify three educational and behavioral determinants significantly related to safe sexual practices.
• Identify two important evaluation outcomes related to longitudinal research.

Keywords: Behavioral Research, Condom Use

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.