Introduction: We developed an 18‐month Happy Teen 2 (HT2) programme comprised of a one‐day workshop, two half‐day sessions, and three individual sessions to prepare HIV‐infected youth for the transition from paediatric to adult HIV care services. We describe the programme and evaluate the change in youth's knowledge scores.Methods: We implemented the HT2 programme among HIV‐infected Thai youth aged 14–22 years who were aware of their HIV status and receiving care at two hospitals in Bangkok (Siriraj Hospital, Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health [QSNICH]). Staff interviewed youth using a standardized questionnaire to assess HIV and health‐related knowledge at baseline and at 12 and 18 months while they participated in the programme. We examined factors associated with a composite knowledge score ≥95% at month 18 using logistic regression.Results: During March 2014–July 2016, 192 of 245 (78%) eligible youth were interviewed at baseline. Of these, 161 (84%) returned for interviews at 12 and 18 months. Among the 161 youth, the median age was 17 years, 74 (46%) were female, and 99% were receiving antiretroviral treatment. The median composite score was 45% at baseline and increased to 82% at 12 months and 95% at 18 months (P < 0.001). The range of median knowledge scores for antiretroviral management, HIV monitoring, HIV services, and family planning significantly increased from baseline (range 0–75%) to (range 67–100%) at 12 months and to 100% at 18 months (P < 0.001). Almost all youth were able to describe education and career goals at 12 and 18 months compared to 75% at baseline. In multivariable analysis, a composite knowledge score at 18 months >95% was associated with education level >high school (aOR: 2.15, 95%CI, 1.03–4.48) and receipt care at QSNICH (aOR: 2.43, 95%CI, 1.18–4.98). Youth whose mother and father had died were less likely to have score ≥95% (aOR: 0.22, 95%CI, 0.07–0.67) than those with living parents.Conclusions: Knowledge useful for a successful transition from paediatric to adult HIV care increased among youth participating in the HT2 programme. Youth follow‐up will continue to assess the impact of improved knowledge on outcomes following the transition to adult care services.

We developed an intervention program for HIV-infected Thai adolescents with two group sessions and two individual sessions, focusing on four strategies: health knowledge, coping skills, sexual risk reduction, and life goals. An audio computer-assisted self-interview (ACASI) was administered to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding antiretroviral therapy management, reproductive health, and HIV-associated risk behavior. The program was implemented in two HIV clinics; 165 (84%) adolescents (intervention group) participated in the program; 32 (16%) completed the ACASI without participating in the group or individual sessions (nonintervention group). The median age was 14 years, and 56% were female. Baseline KAP scores of the intervention and nonintervention groups were similar. Two months after the intervention, knowledge and attitude scores increased (p <.01) in the intervention group, and the increase was sustained at 6 months. KAP scores did not change from baseline in the nonintervention group at 6 or 12 months after enrollment.

More than 30% of perinatally HIV-infected children in Thailand are 12 years and older. As these youth become sexually active, there is a risk that they will transmit HIV to their partners. Data on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of HIV-infected youth in Thailand are limited. Therefore, we assessed the KAP of perinatally HIV-infected youth and youth reporting sexual risk behaviors receiving care at two tertiary care hospitals in Bangkok, Thailand and living in an orphanage in Lopburi, Thailand. From October 2010 to July 2011, 197 HIV-infected youth completed an audio computer-assisted self-interview to assess their KAP regarding antiretroviral (ARV) management, reproductive health, sexual risk behaviors, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). A majority of youth in this study correctly answered questions about HIV transmission and prevention and the importance of taking ARVs regularly. More than half of the youth in this study demonstrated a lack of family planning, reproductive health, and STI knowledge. Girls had more appropriate attitudes toward safe sex and risk behaviors than boys. Although only 5% of the youth reported that they had engaged in sexual intercourse, about a third reported sexual risk behaviors (e.g., having or kissing boy/girlfriend or consuming an alcoholic beverage). We found low condom use and other family planning practices, increasing the risk of HIV and/or STI transmission to sexual partners. Additional resources are needed to improve reproductive health knowledge and reduce risk behavior among HIV-infected youth in Thailand.

Identifying psychosocial needs of perinatally HIV-infected (pHIV) youth is a key step in ensuring good mental health care. We report psychosocial needs of pHIV youth identified using the “Youth Counseling Needs Survey” (YCS) and during individual counseling (IC) sessions. pHIV youth receiving care at two tertiary-care hospitals in Bangkok or at an orphanage in Lopburi province were invited to participate IC sessions. The youths’ psychosocial needs were assessed using instructive IC sessions in four main areas: general health, reproductive health, mood, and psychosocial concerns. Prior to the IC session youth were asked to complete the YCS in which their concerns in the four areas were investigated. Issues identified from the YCS and the IC sessions were compared. During October 2010–July 2011, 150 (68.2%) of 220 eligible youths participated in the IC sessions and completed the YCS. Median age was 14 (range 11–18) years and 92 (61.3%) were female. Mean duration of the IC sessions was 36.5 minutes. One-hundred and thirty (86.7%) youths reported having at least one psychosocial problem discovered by either the IC session or the YCS. The most common problems identified during the IC session were poor health attitude and self-care (48.0%), lack of life skills (44.0%), lack of communication skills (40.0%), poor antiretroviral (ARV) adherence (38.7%), and low self-value (34.7%). The most common problems identified by the YCS were lack of communication skills (21.3%), poor health attitude and self-care (14.0%), and poor ARV adherence (12.7%). Youth were less likely to report psychosocial problems in the YCS than in the IC session. Common psychosocial needs among HIV-infected youth were issues about life skills, communication skills, knowledge on self-care, ARV adherence, and self-value. YCS can identify pHIV youths’ psychosocial needs but might underestimate issues. Regular IC sessions are useful to detect problems and provide opportunities for counseling.