Creating a Youth “Movement” to Combat HIV/AIDS

Purpose: Evaluate the impact of the Youth Action Kit (YAK) and Sports for Life (SFL) programs on the life skills (e.g. communication and decision-making), HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of Ethiopian youth.

Data/information used: Pre- and post-program design was used to measure and compare outcomes. Random selection of schools, clubs and youth male and female aged 13 – 24 participating in YAK/SFL in Oromiya, Amhara, Tigray and Dire Dawa. A total of 2,197 (baseline) and 2,206 (endline) YAK/SFL participants in were interviewed. For SFL 68% of participants had completed grade 8 (or highest level completed) and YAK, 55% of participants were in grades 9/10 (or highest level completed).

Methods: Qualitative, quantitative methods and personal face-to-face interviews conducted using structured survey questionnaires containing closed- and open-ended questions. All survey interviews were anonymous and voluntary. Verbal consent was required; however parental consent obtained for those aged 13 – 17. Interviews were conducted in Amharic, however a few were conducted in Oromifa.

Major Results:

· Significant differences across the surveys for males and females

· Increased HIV/AIDS awareness, abstinence, faithfulness, condom use with

· Youth remaining abstinent

· Confidence refusing unwanted sex, negotiating safer sex

· Increased self-efficacy in condom use

· Increased discussions about HIV and prevention methods with peers, parents and health providers

· Increased self-esteem and life skills

· Increased support for gender equality

· Decreased stigmatizing, discriminatory attitudes towards PLHA

· Increase in collective group efficacy as a school/club to fight HIV/AIDS

Recommendations:

· Modify program to provide school/club leaders with training ensuring youth have opportunities to develop a clearer sense of peer behaviors and attitudes about sex, faithfulness and condom use

· Develop youth's community engagement by conducting outreach events to combat negative attitudes influencing greater collective efficacy

· Future research should include larger samples of sexually active youth to measure programmatic impact regarding number of partners, condom use at last sex, frequency of condom use and sexual coercion experiences