Effectiveness of Health Education Teachers and School Nurses Teaching Sexually Transmitted Infections/Human Immunodeficiency Virus Prevention Knowledge and Skills in High School

Abstract

BACKGROUND We examined the differential impact of a well-established human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/sexually transmitted infections (STIs) curriculum, Be Proud! Be Responsible!, when taught by school nurses and health education classroom teachers within a high school curricula. METHODS Group-randomized intervention study of 1357 ninth and tenth grade students in 10 schools. Twenty-seven facilitators (6 nurses, 21 teachers) provided programming; nurse-led classrooms were randomly assigned. RESULTS Students taught by teachers were more likely to report their instructor to be prepared, comfortable with the material, and challenged them to think about their health than students taught by a school nurse. Both groups reported significant improvements in HIV/STI/condom knowledge immediately following the intervention, compared to controls. Yet, those taught by school nurses reported significant and sustained changes (up to 12 months after intervention) in attitudes, beliefs, and efficacy, whereas those taught by health education teachers reported far fewer changes, with sustained improvement in condom knowledge only. CONCLUSIONS Both classroom teachers and school nurses are effective in conveying reproductive health information to high school students; however, teaching the technical (eg, condom use) and interpersonal (eg, negotiation) skills needed to reduce high-risk sexual behavior may require a unique set of skills and experiences that health education teachers may not typically have.

An academic practice partnership: Building capacity to meet sexual health education policy requirements of a public school system

“…showed that while both classroom teachers and nurses are effective in teaching sexual health education content, teaching specific skills such as condom use and interpersonal communication may be more effective when delivered by nurses. High school students taught sexual health education by a school nurse reported significant and sustained changes in attitudes, beliefs, and efficacy than those taught by a classroom teacher (Borawski et al., ). This study supports the use of nurses and nursing students as effective sexual health educators and suggests lessons taught by nurses may be more effective in sustaining change as compared with lessons taught by classroom teachers (Borawski et al., ).…”

“Good Passengers and Not Good Passengers:” Adolescent Drivers' Perceptions About Inattention and Peer Passengers

“…Nurses in a variety of community and acute clinical settings are well-positioned to deliver health promotion and risk reduction theoretically-based interventions for teens. Prior research has shown that nurse-led interventions with adolescents and young adults can lead to a reduction in risky behaviors (Borawski et al, 2015; Nyamathi et al, 2012; Sommers, McDonald, & Fargo, 2014). …”

The Role of Sexual Health Professionals in Developing a Shared Concept of Risky Sexual Behavior as it Relates to HIV Transmission

“…Diversification of delivery can be accomplished through curricula development for degree programmes, as well as through the development of training programmes for community health workers. School teachers, health educators, victim advocates, and social workers can all be trained to deliver sexual health information, and nurses in particular are uniquely suited to teach health‐technical and interpersonal skills (Borawski et al., ).…”

“…(continued) (Borawski et al, 2015). Significant public health challenges, such as HIV/ AIDS, require clear client-provider communication to distinguish between risk and protective behaviors.…”