Prevention of HIV-STDs and Substance Abuse in High-risk Hispanic/Latino Teenage Girls

摘要

Introduction: HIV/AIDS epidemic in the U.S. has spread faster among minority females adolescents. Hispanics have double the rates of new HIV infections and high rates of teenage pregnancy. Methods: Subjects (178 young Latinas) participated in the study. A quasi-experimental study comparing intervention and comparison groups tested the effectiveness of the program. Evaluation included data collection at baseline and post-test from family participants. Data analysis included demographic, frequency, group equivalence t-tests, and within and between groups comparisons. Results: Mothers improve in drug and HIV knowledge, while intervention youth diminished risk behaviors and improves on protective factors, in comparison to control group. Conclusions: Culturally sensitive mentoring is effective in increasing protective factors such as social bonding inside and outside the family participants. In addition, PYC decreases risks in young Latino girls to prevent HIV/ STDs, teen pregnancy and substance abuse.