A pilot HIV prevention program for adolescents in a psychiatric hospital

In a pilot HIV prevention program for 35 adolescents in a psychiatric hospital, patients completed assessments of their HIV-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors before entering the program, at discharge, and three months after discharge. At discharge they showed significant increases in knowledge, tolerance of people with AIDS, and self-efficacy (or perceived ability to engage in safe-sex behaviors), although those who had been sexually abused showed significantly less change in self-efficacy than others. At three-month follow-up, scores had returned to baseline, but there was a trend toward increased condom use. Findings confirm the need for HIV-AIDS interventions for adolescents in psychiatric settings despite barriers to implementation.