Download Health Canada Guidelines for Sexuality Education

An Assessment of
The Full Circle Project:
Some Effects of a Theatre-based
HIV/STI Prevention Intervention
Presented at the XVI World Congress of Sexology
Havana, Cuba. March 2003
Josephine MacIntosh, Interdisciplinary Studies, University of Victoria, Canada
Funded by: Vancouver Island Health Authority, Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research/BC Medical Services
Foundation (Population Health), Sara Spencer Foundation for Applied Social Research, and Planned Parenthood
Federation of Canada.
Components Of Canadian
Sexual Health Education

Acquisition of knowledge pertinent to specific
sexual health issues
 Development of motivation and personal insight
that is necessary to act on this knowledge
 Development of skills that support sexual health
and reduce the potential of negative outcomes
 Creation of an environment conducive to sexual
health (e.g. access to and promotion of sexual
education and sexual health care)
(Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health Education Health Canada, 1997)
AIDS, HIV & STIs In Canada

AIDS death rates have dropped due to advances in
drug therapy and universal healthcare
(Health Canada, 2000)

HIV infection rates continue to increase with about
4,200 new infections occur each year across a
broadening range of population subgroups
(Health Canada, 2000)

Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis infection rates
have risen by more than one-third in the past three
years, especially within the 15-19 age group
(Patrick, Wong & Jordan: SEICCAN, 2000)
The Full Circle Project

Theatre-based intervention that used youth
culture and language as the framework for
HIV/STI and sexuality education
 Community-based, peer-led initiative to
promote sexual health and responsible
sexual behaviour
 Proactive, repeat intervention with the
potential to reduce high-risk sexual behaviour
(HRSB) among in-school youth
Purpose of the Assessment
To test the potential efficacy of a novel,
peer-led approach to sexual health
education
 We hoped to help our young audiences
gain confidence in their own ability to
apply prevention strategies within the
context of interpersonal relationships

Subjects
Audiences: N = 125
 Grade 8, 9 & 10 (mean age 14.10 yrs)
 4 groups comprised of 2 classes each
 From 2 inner city schools and one
suburban school
 Actor/Educators: N = 10 (aged 15-24)

Methodology
Behavioural observations of audiences
during Q&A sessions (N=351)
 Written feedback from audiences after
each part of the play (N=363)
 Analysis of videotaped interviews with
actor/educators (N= 10)

Did it Engage the Audience?
Overall Mean Levels of Engagement
Percent Engaged
100
80
77.6
78.5
68
64.7
60
40
20
0
0:00-5:00
5:01-10:00 10:01-15:00 15:01-20:00
Time in Minutes
Reported Levels of Confidence
Level of Confidence
10.0
Number Circled
8.3*
8.0
6.0
6.5**
6.9
7.3
6.5
6.9
5.8
5.2
Males
4.0
Females
2.0
0.0
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week of Production
*p = .02; ** p < .001
Did It Increase Confidence?
More or Less Confident than Before?
100
Percent
80
More
60
Less
40
Other
20
0
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4
p < .01 for all weeks
Did it Increase Knowledge?

Individual video interviews with
actor/educators presented a recurring
theme: The youth had started the project
feeling they were very well informed about
HIV/STI prevention and finished the project
with the realization that they had not known
as much as they had previously thought. The
actor/educators also made very useful
observations about which aspects of the
project they felt were most effective and
which were less so.
Limitations of the Assessment
Lack of a randomized, controlled design
 Use of a post-test only methodology:
limits conclusions, results are merely
suggestive
 Inclusion of a suburban school along
with the inner city schools was
unexpected and presents some
confounding factors

Discussion and
Recommendations

Overall, a theatre-based peer-led approach to
sexual health education appears to hold
much promise
 Our young audiences reported increased
confidence in their ability to apply prevention
strategies in their own lives
 The Full Circle Project itself appears to have
great potential for sexual health promotion for
both youth audiences and peer educators
 Recommend longitudinal study of efficacy
Contact:

Josephine MacIntosh
Interdisciplinary Studies
C/o Sociology Department
University of Victoria
PO Box 3050
Victoria, BC, Canada, V8W 3P5
 [email protected]
 [email protected]