Web-Based Middle School HIV Prevention Curricula: Aspiring for Reach and Impact
Condition: HIV; Sexually Transmitted Diseases
MeSH terms: Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a web-based HIV, sexually
      transmitted infection (STI), and pregnancy prevention curriculum as a stand alone
      intervention for 8th grade students in a large urban school district. This web-based
      curriculum will be adapted from the computer-based component of an existing successful
      prevention program, It's Your Game…Keep it Real, (IYG) but will be enhanced to include
      critical elements from the IYG classroom component. The primary hypothesis to be tested is:
      (1) students who receive the web-based curriculum will delay sexual activity relative to
      those who receive standard care. The major dependent variable is the proportion of students
      initiating sexual activity (vaginal, oral, or anal sex). Secondary hypotheses will examine
      the effect of the web-based curriculum on specific types of sex (e.g., vaginal, oral, anal)
      and psychosocial variables such as students' intentions, knowledge, self-efficacy, attitudes,
      and perceived norms related to sexual risk-taking behavior. Secondary hypotheses will also
      examine the effect of the intervention on the proportion of students who are sexually active,
      number of times students engage in unprotected sexual intercourse, and students' number of
      sexual partners.
    

Detailed description: 
      The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a web-based HIV, sexually
      transmitted infection (STI), and pregnancy prevention curriculum as a stand alone
      intervention for 8th grade students in a large urban school district. Twenty middle schools
      were invited to participate in the study. From those schools, we randomized 10 to the
      intervention group and 10 to the comparison condition, and will then recruit a cohort of
      2,000 8th grade students into the study. Parental permission and youth assent will be
      required prior to participation. Students will be asked to complete a baseline and 12-month
      follow-up survey. The web-based curriculum will be adapted from the computer-based component
      of an existing successful prevention program, It's Your Game…Keep it Real, (IYG) but will be
      enhanced to include critical elements from the IYG classroom component. The web-based
      intervention will consist of 13 lessons and will tailor information to the individual's
      gender and to his/her intentions or behaviors related to sexual risk-taking. The program will
      address peer norms, attitudes, self-efficacy, refusal skills, and communication skills
      related to healthy relationships, dating, and sexual risk-taking behavior. The primary
      hypothesis to be tested is: (1) students who receive the web-based curriculum will delay
      sexual activity relative to those who receive standard care. The major dependent variable is
      the proportion of students initiating sexual activity (vaginal, oral, or anal sex). Secondary
      hypotheses will examine the effect of the web-based curriculum on specific types of sex
      (e.g., vaginal, oral, anal) and psychosocial variables such as students' intentions,
      knowledge, self-efficacy, attitudes, and perceived norms related to sexual risk-taking
      behavior. Secondary hypotheses will also examine the effect of the intervention on the
      proportion of students who are sexually active, number of times students engage in
      unprotected sexual intercourse, and students' number of sexual partners.
    

Intervention name(s): It's Your Game Tech
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): An interactive web-based intervention for 8th grade students. This web-based intervention will be adapted from the computer-based component of an existing successful prevention program, It's Your Game…Keep it Real, (IYG) as well as include critical elements from the IYG classroom component. The web-based intervention will consist of 13 lessons and will tailor information to the individual's gender and to his/her intentions or behaviors related to sexual risk-taking. The program will address peer norms, attitudes, self-efficacy, refusal skills, and communication skills related to healthy relationships, dating, and sexual risk-taking behavior.
Other intervention name(s): IYG Tech
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: HIV; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Pregnancy Prevention; Abstinence Education; Adolescents; Sexual Health