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  • Title: Evaluation of a drama-in-education programme to increase AIDS awareness in South African high schools: a randomized community intervention trial.
    Author: Harvey B, Stuart J, Swan T.
    Journal: Int J STD AIDS; 2000 Feb; 11(2):105-11. PubMed ID: 10678478.
    Abstract:
    A community intervention trial was undertaken in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa to evaluate the effectiveness of a high school drama-in-education programme. Seven pairs of secondary schools were randomized to receive either written information about HIV/AIDS or the drama programme. Questionnaire surveys of knowledge, attitude and behaviour were compared before and 6 months after the interventions. One thousand and eighty students participated in the first survey and 699 in the second. Improvements in knowledge (P=0.0002) and attitudes (P < 0.00001) about HIV/AIDS were demonstrated in pupils at schools receiving the drama programme when compared to pupils receiving written information alone. These changes were independent of age, gender, school or previous sexual experience. In schools receiving the drama programme, sexually active pupils reported an increase in condom use (P < 0.01). It is important to provide resources to sustain such programmes and to obtain stronger evidence of effect on behaviour by measuring changes in HIV incidence. South African research indicates that adolescents' risk of becoming infected with HIV is increased by a lifestyle involving a greater degree of exploration, experimentation, and rebellion. The high prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases and the high rate of adolescent pregnancy confirm the existence of a pattern of early onset of sexual intercourse, multiple partners and a low incidence of condom use. Prevention programs such as the Drama Approach to AIDS (DramAide) has been initiated in Africa to reduce HIV transmission. This paper evaluates the effectiveness of the DramAide, a high school drama-in-education program conducted in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. Using a randomized community intervention trial, seven pairs of secondary schools were randomized to receive either written information about HIV/AIDS or the drama program. Questionnaire surveys of knowledge, attitude and behavior were compared before and 6 months after the interventions. A total of 1080 students participated in the first survey, while there were 699 student participants in the second. Improvements in knowledge (P = 0.0002) and attitudes (P 0.00001) about HIV/AIDS were noted in the drama program receivers as compared with the written information receivers. Increase in condom use by sexually active students was also reported for drama program receivers (P 0.01). Thus, it is important to provide resources to drama-in-education programs and obtain stronger evidence of effect on behavior by measuring changes in HIV incidence.
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