National HIV Prevention Conference Atlanta, Georgia, USA — July 27 - 30, 2003

Natl HIV Prev Conf 2003 July 27-30:abstract no. M1-C1602
Wyckoff SC, Miller KS, Bush T, Forehand R, Armistead L
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA

ISSUE: Parents are unique and powerful tools for the delivery of HIV prevention information and skills to youth. However, many viable organizations and programs are not embracing parents in HIV youth intervention and prevention efforts because they perceive difficulty in getting parental involvement. There continue to be many myths and misconceptions surrounding the feasibility of conducting HIV prevention interventions with parents including that parents won't come, won't come back, or won't attend multiple sessions. There are also myths that parents think talking to their child about sex endorses sexual behavior and that pre-teens are too young to learn about sexuality and sexual risk reduction. Based on these myths and misconceptions HIV prevention efforts are underutilizing an important resource-Parents!

SETTING: Little Rock AR, Athens GA, and Atlanta GA.

PROJECT: Parents Matter! is a multi-site, longitudinal, community-based intervention trial promoting effective parent-child communication about sexuality and sexual risk reduction. Data from 680 African American families will be presented which dispel some of the common myths and misconceptions surrounding parental involvement in HIV prevention interventions.

RESULTS: Through October 2002, 680 families had been enrolled in the Parents Matter! Program. Recruitment and retention data indicate that parents are very willing to participate in assessments and interventions for low monetary compensation. Of the 680 that were randomly assigned to one of three intervention arms (two 1 session arms, one 5 session arm) 552 participated in the interventions, with 95% returning for post assessment follow-up and 91% for 6-month assessment follow-up. Retention was highest in the 5 session intervention arm. Eighty-eight percent of parents feel that talking about sex will not encourage their child to initiate sex, 80% of parents indicated that their pre-teen was ready to learn about sex topics, and 97% believe that it is their responsibility to teach their child about sexuality. Responses from the pre-teens indicate that many of them are in need of HIV prevention based on their sexual thoughts and behaviors.

LESSONS LEARNED: High intervention attendance and retention rates suggest that parents are interested and willing to participate in HIV prevention programs directed at improved communication with their pre-teens. Parents want and need the tools and skills to deliver HIV prevention. Programs which foster the role of parents in HIV youth prevention should be more widely implemented.

030727
M1-C1602

Copyright notice: The National HIV Prevention Conference is collaborative effort by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a U.S. Government agency and other governmental and non-government organizations. All abstracts published in by the conference organizers are in the public domain and can be used without permission. Proper citation, however, is required.