Culturally Competent HIV/AIDS Prevention: Understanding Program Effects on Adolescent Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behaviors

Corazón de Aztlan is a comprehensive and culturally competent adolescent development program for Mexican American and other Hispanic youth intended to prevent risky sexual behavior. Perceptions of Corazón de Aztlan participants on condom use and their implications are presented. Evaluation of HIV/AIDS prevention program effects indicated the program increased accurate knowledge of safer sexual behavior, understanding of peer pressure, negotiation skills involved in having safer sex, sense of vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, and abstinence from sexual activity, but not safer sex among those already sexually active. Contrasting rational decision-making and judgment theoretical models for understanding adolescent high-risk sexual behavior demonstrates the necessity of developing stronger partnerships between families, schools, and the larger community that could be instrumental in the creation of environments that would be more protective of youth. The potential benefits of using peer educator models and culturally competent sex education methods are discussed.