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Process evaluation of a school-based HIV/AIDS intervention in South Africa. Scandinavian journal of public health [Scand J Public Health] Journal article

 
TitleProcess evaluation of a school-based HIV/AIDS intervention in South Africa.
Author(s)Mukoma W, Flisher AJ, Ahmed N, Jansen S, Mathews C, Klepp KI, Schaalma H 
InstitutionChildrenës Institute, University of Cape Town, South Africa. wanjiru.mukoma@uct.uct.ac.za
SourceScand J Public Health 2009 Jun.:37-47.
AbstractAIMS: This paper presents a process evaluation that assessed the fidelity and quality of implementation, as well as the acceptability and subjective evaluations of a HIV/AIDS intervention among students and teachers.
METHODS: The process evaluation was conducted as part of a cluster randomized controlled trial of a theory- and evidence-based school HIV/AIDS intervention in Cape Town. The intervention was designed for grade 8 high school students and delivered by teachers over a six-month period. Twenty-six schools participated in the trial, 13 in the intervention group and 13 in the control group.
RESULTS: The success of implementation was varied within and across the schools, with some teachers implementing the intervention with more fidelity than others. This was influenced by a combination of individual characteristics and institutional factors. The factors that aided implementation included compliance with the current outcomes-based education approach; provision of teacher training; provision of teacher manuals with detailed information and instructions about the lessons and activities; continued monitoring and support for teachers; and student enthusiasm for the lessons. Proper implementation was hindered by large class sizes; too many activities in the intervention; teacher resistance to and inexperience in using participatory methods; teacher turnover; the low status of life orientation compared to other subjects; and a general disregard for life orientation among students.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings are important for improving the intervention and contextualizing the results of the outcome evaluation; and to better plan for further large scale dissemination of school-based HIV/AIDS intervention programmes.
Languageeng
Pub Type(s)Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
PubMed ID19493980