Effects Of Life Skills Training On Migrant Women's HIV Knowledge, Attitude And Condom Use Self-Efficacy

Background:Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is rapidly spreading among the world. Migrant population, especially migrant women, have higher risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection. Once they were infected, they could serve as a virus source to pass the virus to different people in different areas; they also could pass the virus down to the next generation through maternal-neonatal transmission. Thus, special attention should be paid to this population, and HIV prevention interventions are needed among this population. Skills training has been proved to be effective on changing subjects'HIV related behaviors and have been carried out among teenages, but few studies reported that life skills training have been done among migrant women in China.Objectives:To describe the level of HIV knowledge, HIV related attitude and self-efficacy in condom use among migrant women; assess the effects of life skills training on HIV knowledge, HIV related attitude and self-efficacy in condom use among migrant women, and evaluate the feasibility of implementing life skills training among migrant women.Methods:A quasi-experimental design was used in the study. Fifty migrant women working in a factory in Beijing were sampled conveniently. All of the fifty subjects received a one-day life skills training which consisted of learning HIV/AIDS knowledge, discussiong HIV/AIDS related attitude and performing life skills important in condom use, including decision making skill, condom communication skill and condom use skill. Many teaching methods were used, such as playing games, having a lecture, group discussion, demonstration and practice, etc. The subjects'HIV knowledge, HIV related attitude and self-efficacy in condom use were measured before and after the intervention, first month and third month after the intervention.Results:(1) 40 migrant women's data were collected in this study. Their HIV knowledge was on medium level, and was significantly improved to high level after receiving life skills training and three months after the intervention (P＜0.008). (2) Their HIV related attitude was on high level at the beginning of the intervention, but significant improvement was still found after the intervention and three months after the intervention (P＜0.008). Migrant women got high scores on subscales of attitude towards HIV related sexual behaviors and attitude towards HIV severity, which indicated that they opposed these risky behaviors and realized that HIV was a serious disease, the scores did not change before and after the intervention (P>0.05). Their perceived risk of HIV infection and attitude towards condom use were on medium level, but significant improvement was only seen on the attitude towards condom use after the intervention and three months after the intervention (P＜0.008). (3) Their self-efficacy in condom use was on medium level and improved significantly to high level right after the intervention and three months after the intervention (P<0.008). (4) All of the participants were satisfied with the life skills training.Conclusions:The findings of this study indicated that migrant women's HIV knowledge, HIV related attitude and self-efficacy in condom use need to be improved. Life skills training significantly improved their HIV knowledge, HIV related attitude and condom use self-efficacy. It was effective and possible to carry out a short term life skills training among migrant women and it was worthy to offer such trainings to more migrant women.