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HIV, Sexual & reproductive health

Follow-Up Study of SKILLZ Core Among Adolescents in Zimbabwe and Botswana

2010

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Brief Summary

Background

Grassroot Soccer has run school-based HIV education programs since 2003, but most evaluations have only measured short-term changes. This study examined whether program benefits last over time.

What Grassroot Soccer did

Grassroot Soccer's SKILLZ Core program is a 10-hour curriculum delivered by professional soccer players. It was evaluated among students in Zimbabwe and Botswana, comparing graduates of the program to peers who had not participated, two to five years after completion.

What the study found

Compared to non-graduates, program graduates showed better condom knowledge, greater willingness to support HIV-positive family members, more HIV-related conversations with friends, and fewer sexual partners.

Why this matters

These findings offer encouraging evidence that some program benefits persist years later, while also highlighting the need for longer-term follow-up and larger studies to fully understand lasting impact.

DETAILED SUMMARY

Importance

  • While Grassroot Soccer held school-based programs since 2003, studies have evaluated knowledge, attitude and communication changes on a short-term basis. This study presents results from the first long-term follow-up evaluation of Grassroot Soccer’s school-based program in Zimbabwe and Botswana.

Objective

  • To evaluate the long-term effectiveness of Grassroot Soccer’s school-based educational program in affecting HIV-related knowledge, attitudes, and communication.

Study details

  • Study design: Post-intervention study with control group
  • Data collection tools: Questionnaires administered to program attendees 2-5 years post-graduation from program
  • Participants: 553 Zimbabwean and Botswanan students aged 15 to 19 years (mean age approximately 16.2 years). Intervention group = 260 students who graduated from the Grassroot Soccer program within the past 5 years. Control group = 293 students who had not participated in the program.
  • Implementation setting: Bulawayo, Zimbabwe; Gaborone, Botswana
  • Study period: Not specified

Intervention

  • SKILLZ Core: Grassroot Soccer’s flagship 10-hour program. In this study, it was delivered by professional soccer players.

Results

  • Compared to non-graduates, Grassroot Soccer graduates:
    • Demonstrated a slightly higher rate of knowledge surrounding the usage of condoms (X2=4.5, p=0.03)
    • Were more willing to care for an HIV-positive family member (X2=6.8, p=0.009)
    • Were significantly more likely to have HIV-related communications with friends (X2=5.1, p=0.02)
    • Had fewer sexual partners (adjusted F=6.2, p=0.015)
  • No other significant differences were observed.

Conclusions and Implications

  • Results suggest that the knowledge and communication improvements demonstrated in short-term studies may decline in the long-term.
  • Evidence of effectiveness in reducing the number of sexual partners is encouraging.
  • Further evaluation should include baseline assessment, a larger sample, and, where possible, health outcomes.

Citation

Year: 2010

Authors: Kaufman Z, Perez K, Adams LV, Khanda M, Ndlovu M, Holmer H

Kaufman Z, Perez K, Adams LV, Khanda M, Ndlovu M, Holmer H. Long-term behavioral impact of a soccer-themed, school-based HIV prevention program in Zimbabwe and Botswana [poster]. Presented at: XVIII International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2010); 2010 Jul 18-23; Vienna, Austria.

Partners

Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center

Dartmouth Medical School

Limkokwing University of Creative Technology

Funder

Mulago Foundation

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