Evaluation of a school-based HIV prevention intervention among Yemeni adolescents

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This article describes an evaluation of a school-based peer education intervention for HIV prevention among students in twenty seven high schools in Aden, Yemen. The intervention was developed after a survey among the same population in 2005, which revealed a high level of stigma towards people living with HIV (PLWH) and a low level of HIV knowledge.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In a quasi-experimental design students who received the peer education intervention (78.6%) were compared with students who did not receive the intervention (21.4%). No systematic procedure was applied in selecting students for the intervention condition. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire from a sample of 2510 students from all 27 high-schools in Aden governorate. To increase internal validity, students were also compared with a cohort control sample surveyed in 2005, which was a random sample of 2274 students from the same schools.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Sixty eight percent of students targeted by peer education had good knowledge scores, compared with 43.3% of students not targeted by peer education (χ²= (df = 1) = 111.15, p < .01). Multi-level regression analysis revealed that, although there was a significant difference among schools, the intervention effect of peer education at the individual level was significant; students who received peer education had a statistically higher knowledge score(9.24 out of 12.0) compared with those not targeted (7.89 out of 12.0), OR = 2.11, 95% CI = 1.04-4.27, p < .05). Compared with the 2005 cohort control sample, students targeted by peer education had better knowledge on the modes of transmission and prevention and fewer misconceptions; and knowledge on the use of condoms increased from 49.4% to 67.8%. In addition, students who received the peer education interventions suggested significantly more actions to provide care and support for PLWH. Also, the levels of stigma and discrimination were much higher among the 2005 cohort control group, compared with those who received the peer education intervention.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The school-based peer education intervention has succeeded in improving levels of knowledge on modes of transmission and prevention, and in decreasing levels of stigma and discrimination in a culturally conservative setting.</p

Buffering Capacity Studies in a Rural and Urban Wetlands in Lake Victoria Catchment in Uganda

Wetlands are known to filter water from catchments by retaining solid waste, and eroded sediments from catchment areas. Wetlands also reduce the impact of flooding, speed of flow, and hence store water while releasing it slowly. The extent to which the wetlands perform these roles was investigated in two wetlands, Kinawataka wetland with an industrial and heavily populated catchment, and Kisoma wetland with subsistence agricultural catchment between January 1999 to July 2001. Water samples were collected once a month from streams entering the wetlands, along transects within the wetland and at the out flow. Parameters investigated included pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), electric conductivity (EC), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), orthophosphates, Total Phosphorus (TP), nitrates, Total Nitrogen (TN) and chemical oxygen demand (COD). Results showed that the urban Kinawataka wetland receives a lot of pollution from its catchment and this is considerably reduced as the water move through it to the out flow. Reductions of TN by 50% and TP by only 10% were noted. The rural Kisoma wetland however receives fewer nutrients from its catchment but releases more in its out flow. There were increases in orthophosphates to about 50%, TP to 40% and nitrates to 22%. In situations where large volumes of water was received especially after a heavy storm or during floods, the wetland capacity to buffer was impaired and the materials from the catchment would pass through it unbuffered. It is suggested that wetland buffering depends on the amount of nutrients and water inflow from the catchment, the wetland-slope, nature of the vegetation, size of the wetland, catchment rainfall and anthropogenic characteristics. The conditions within the wetlands modify the nature of the nutrients as the water flow through them.Key words: Buffering capacity, wetland buffering, catchment, reservoir, nutrient