Selections fromJournal Watch Pediatrics and Adolescent medicine Copyright © 2004 Massachusetts medical Society. All rights reserved.

Educational intervention increases condom use among black girls ▸

Black adolescent girls are at higher risk for sexually transmitted HIV infection than are most other adolescents. These researchers assessed the efficacy of an educational intervention that emphasized ethnic and gender pride, HIV risk factors and their prevention, condom use, and relationship issues. A total of 522 sexually experienced black girls (age range, 14–18) were recruited from community health agencies and randomized to four group sessions featuring either the intervention program or general exercise and nutrition counseling. The intervention sessions involved an average of 10 to 12 participants each and were led by black female health educators.

At 12-month follow-up, self-reports of consistent condom use in the prior 30 days were significantly more common in the intervention group than in the control group (73% vs. 57%), and number of episodes of unprotected vaginal intercourse in the prior 30 days was significantly lower in the intervention group (1 vs. 2). A variety of psychosocial mediators of HIV prevention (e.g., HIV knowledge, efficacy of condom use, attitudes toward condom use) were all significantly improved in the intervention group.

Comment ▸

This intervention is not immediately reproducible in primary care practice, and self-reports of condom use cannot be confirmed objectively, but the data are encouraging. The results indicate that group educational sessions might affect sexual behavior in a high-risk adolescent group.

Thomas L. Schwenk, MD

Published in Journal Watch July 27, 2004

Intracranial trauma in young children who are physically abused ▸

Clinicians are keenly …