Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #102759

George Ndosak, Tih Pius Muffih, MPH, PhD, Gideon Forgwei, Joseph Nkfusai, Emmanuel Nshom, Dorothy Meyer, CNM, MPH, Edith Welty, MD, and Thomas Welty. Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Board, PO Box 9, Nso, Northwest Province, Cameroon, 928-526-0955, twelty@earthlink.net

In 2003 the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Board (CBCHB) started the Youth Network for Abstinence in the Northwest and Southwest Provinces of Cameroon to promote behavior changes to reduce the transmission of HIV among the youth. Prior to implementing this program, the program coordinator (NG) collected baseline data in 2004 on risky adolescent sexual behavior on a convenience sample of 4389 unmarried youth in schools and churches, using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire. The respondents' ages ranged from 12 to 26 years, with 45% being in the 16-19 year old age group; 44% were male, and 87% had a secondary level of education or higher. One third (34%) reported that they had never had sexual intercourse, and 29% reported having sexual intercourse five or more times. Of respondents who had sexual intercourse, 66% had their first sexual experience at less than 17 years, the mean age of the oldest sexual partner ranged from 7 to 78 years (mean 22 years), 44% reported ever using a condom, and 52% regretted having had sexual intercourse. Of all respondents, 87% stated they would like to join an abstinence club, 10% had had an HIV test (6% of those were positive), and 82% of those not tested would like to have an HIV test. Over 5000 youth have enrolled in abstinence clubs and signed commitments to remain abstinent until marriage. CBCHB will conduct follow up surveys to monitor changes in risky sexual behavior and will offer voluntary HIV counseling and testing to youth.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Recognize the importance of behavior change in youth as an essential component of HIV prevention.
• List one approach to the development and implementation of an abstinence-based HIV prevention program in a developing country.
• Describe how an abstinence program can be evaluated.

Keywords: Adolescents, International, HIV Risk Behavior

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation