Novel program aims to prevent HIV among runaways

Novel program aims to prevent HIV among runaways
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Researchers are encouraged byresults of a pilot test of a one-of-a-kind program aimed atpreventing HIV infection among runaway adolescents, chiefly byconcentrating on a troubled teen's strengths as opposed to hisor her weaknesses.
The program called Strengths-Based Case Management wasoriginally developed for adults with severe mental illness ordrug abuse. The current study marks the first time it's beenused in an adolescent population.
"All youth have strengths, but it's about tapping intothese and using them to empower the youth to realize theirpotential," Dr. Liz Arnold, who presented results of the pilotstudy at the National HIV Prevention Conference today inAtlanta, said in a written statement.
"Focusing on their strengths and tying them into theirfuture goals shows kids that putting themselves at risk for HIVor other health problems can jeopardize reaching those goals,"added Arnold who is an assistant professor of psychiatry andbehavioral medicine at Wake Forest University Baptist MedicalCenter.
The pilot study involved 21 young people aged 13 to 15years old from Forsyth County, North Carolina, who had run awaybut returned home to participate in the 15-month intervention.
For adolescents who run away from home, there is a "narrowwindow of opportunity" to intervene before they becomehomeless, when their risk of HIV infection and other negativeoutcomes rises dramatically, Arnold and colleagues explain.
A hallmark of the strengths-based program are trained "casemanagers," who meet with troubled teens out in the community asopposed to an office and forge strong, supportiverelationships. These caring adult role models help facilitate"positive life changes, including the prevention of HIV throughreduction in risky behaviors," Arnold and colleagues explain.
In the pilot study, none of the youth who participated inthe strengths-based program ended up in out-of-home placementas compared to 30 percent of those who received standardservices.
"The kids were very receptive to having an adult rolemodel. That connection with their case manager was a pivotalpiece," Arnold said.
"The goal of the study was to see if you can actually usethis model with this population. Is it something that'sfeasible to use and acceptable to adolescent runaways? Theanswer is yes," Arnold noted.
Typical programs, she also explained, involvefamily-focused intervention, and these have met with limitedsuccess. "With our project, the family is involved to thedegree that they are receptive to being involved in theprogram, but it's really focused on helping the adolescent, andthen letting those positive changes filter down to the family."
The pilot study was funded by a grant from the NationalInstitute o2n Drug Abuse. Larger tests of the program areplanned.