TY - JOUR
T1 - Adaptation of an effective school-based sexual health promotion program for youth in Colombia
AU - Morales, Alexandra
AU - Garcia-Montaño, Eileen
AU - Barrios-Ortega, Cristian
AU - Niebles-Charris, Janivys
AU - Garcia-Roncallo, Paola
AU - Abello-Luque, Daniella
AU - Gomez-Lugo, Mayra
AU - Saavedra, Diego Alejandro
AU - Vallejo-Medina, Pablo
AU - Espada, José Pedro
AU - Lightfoot, Marguerita
AU - Martínez, Omar
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2019/2
Y1 - 2019/2
N2 - Rationale: Given the disproportionate impact of HIV and STIs among youth in Latin America, there is a compelling need for effective sex education programs. In particular, Colombia lacks a nationally standardized youth sex education program, despite the fact that 15 to 24-year-olds accounted for the highest incidence and prevalence rates of HIV and STIs in the nation. In an attempt to fill this void, our team adapted COMPAS, a Spanish school-based sexual health promotion intervention, for Colombian adolescents. Objective: This study describes the adaptation process that resulted in a modified version of COMPAS for youth in Colombia. Method: We employed a systematic cultural adaptation process utilizing a mixed methods approach, including intervention adaptation sessions with 100 young adolescents aged 15–19. The process included six steps: 1) consulting international researchers and community stakeholders; 2) capturing the lived experiences of a diverse sample of colombian youth; 3) identifying priorities and areas in need of improvement; 4) integrating the social cognitive theory, information-motivation-behavioral skills model, and an ecological framework for colombian youth; 5) adapting intervention content, activities, and materials; and 6) quantitative evaluation of COMPAS by Colombian youth. Results: The adapted intervention incorporates elements common to effective youth sex education interventions, including: a solid theoretical foundation, sexual communication skills and social support for protection, and guidance on how to utilize available cultural- and linguistic-appropriate services. In addition, the adapted intervention incorporates cultural and linguistic appropriate content, including an emphasis on tackling machismo to promote risk reduction behaviors. Conclusions: The systematic adaptation approach to sexual health intervention for youth can be employed by researchers and community stakeholders in low-resource settings for the promotion of health wellness, linkage to care, and STI and unplanned pregnancy prevention for youth.
AB - Rationale: Given the disproportionate impact of HIV and STIs among youth in Latin America, there is a compelling need for effective sex education programs. In particular, Colombia lacks a nationally standardized youth sex education program, despite the fact that 15 to 24-year-olds accounted for the highest incidence and prevalence rates of HIV and STIs in the nation. In an attempt to fill this void, our team adapted COMPAS, a Spanish school-based sexual health promotion intervention, for Colombian adolescents. Objective: This study describes the adaptation process that resulted in a modified version of COMPAS for youth in Colombia. Method: We employed a systematic cultural adaptation process utilizing a mixed methods approach, including intervention adaptation sessions with 100 young adolescents aged 15–19. The process included six steps: 1) consulting international researchers and community stakeholders; 2) capturing the lived experiences of a diverse sample of colombian youth; 3) identifying priorities and areas in need of improvement; 4) integrating the social cognitive theory, information-motivation-behavioral skills model, and an ecological framework for colombian youth; 5) adapting intervention content, activities, and materials; and 6) quantitative evaluation of COMPAS by Colombian youth. Results: The adapted intervention incorporates elements common to effective youth sex education interventions, including: a solid theoretical foundation, sexual communication skills and social support for protection, and guidance on how to utilize available cultural- and linguistic-appropriate services. In addition, the adapted intervention incorporates cultural and linguistic appropriate content, including an emphasis on tackling machismo to promote risk reduction behaviors. Conclusions: The systematic adaptation approach to sexual health intervention for youth can be employed by researchers and community stakeholders in low-resource settings for the promotion of health wellness, linkage to care, and STI and unplanned pregnancy prevention for youth.
KW - Adaptation
KW - Adolescents
KW - COMPAS
KW - Colombia
KW - Intervention
KW - Sexual health
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U2 - 10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.01.011
DO - 10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.01.011
M3 - Article
C2 - 30660045
AN - SCOPUS:85060040696
SN - 0277-9536
VL - 222
SP - 207
EP - 215
JO - Social Science and Medicine
JF - Social Science and Medicine
ER -