Susan Pick

A school-based life skills and sexuality education HIV/AIDS program for adolescents was evaluated in Toluca, Mexico, through a quasi-experimental pre–post design with 1,566 cases, divided over a control group and an experimental group. Based on a previously tested path model, 3 levels of variables were included as a guide for the contents of the program: personal variables (self-knowledge, self-efficacy regarding condom use, and decision making), intervening variables (subjective norms about, knowledge about HIV/AIDS, and attitudes toward condoms), and outcome variables (communication on sexuality and intentions to use condoms). Evaluation was con-ducted following these categories. Significant increases in all of these variables recognized as precursors of safer sex were found in the experimental group. Like most countries in the world, Mexico is experiencing a growing HIV epidemic. While the prevalence is still rather low (0.3%; UNAIDS/WHO, 1This research was supported by the Horizons and Population Council (Grant #A 199.51A) and by IMIFAP (Grant #MB.1411), to whom we express our appreciation. In addition, we thank the authorities and the staff and adolescents of the high schools of the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico (UAEM) for their collaboration. We are also much indebted to Marco A. Barriga, Rocío Martínez, Ann McCauley, and Dylis Walker for their help through various stages of the project. 2Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Martha Givaudan