AEGiS-07IAC: Training teachers in AIDS education: evaluation of the first 12 courses in Latin America.

7th International AIDS Conference


Florence, Italy — June 16-21, 1991

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Training teachers in AIDS education: evaluation of the first 12 courses in Latin America.

Int Conf AIDS 1991 Jun 16-21; 7:443 (abstract no. W.D.4220)
Erbstein S, Schenker I, Greenblatt C; School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel

12 training courses for teachers in five countries: El-Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras and Peru were conducted by Israeli experts January 1989 - July 1990, in collaboration with local NAPs.

OBJECTIVE: 1) Determine the levels of AIDS knowledge, fears and attitudes among teachers participating in the courses 2) Evaluate the effectiveness of an AIDS Education training course with cross-national comparisons 3) Assess information sources on AIDS.

METHODS: Self administered, anonymous, pre and post questionnaires recorded data from 636 primary and secondary school teachers, who received 40 hours of training in separate 5-days national courses.

RESULTS: Pre course mean knowledge score for the whole study population was 74.4 (SD 16.6) with significant variations between countries. Teachers lacked mostly knowledge on high risk activities, HIV transmission and its prevention. Significant (p less than 0.001) was shown in postest mean knowledge grade: 88.4 (SD 11.5). A positive association between personal fear of AIDS (66% of s. population) and levels of knowledge was established in 4 of the 5 countries. Fear of AIDS was reduced by 30% during the course. 36% of teachers were ready to isolate PWAs in society. This was reduced to 1% (P less 0.001) during the courses. TV was the most common (25%) source of AIDS information, followed by press (23%) and radio (15%).

CONCLUSIONS: Teachers are a key factor in HIV control. A well structured, culturally modified course, training them to use an easy to use curricula may contribute to their success as AIDS Educators in youth settings. We shall present a comprehensive model.

Keywords: AEGIS, Teaching, Program Evaluation, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Health Education, HIV Infections, Curriculum, Students, Faculty, Schools, Questionnaires, Sex Education, Fear, Education, Continuing, Latin America, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru, Israel, nursing, education, prevention & control, ICA7
910616
WD4220

Copyright © 1991 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.