The Effectiveness of a Community-Level HIV/STD Prevention Program in a Three-County Rural Area

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Abstract
Limited health care resources and increasing lifetime costs of treating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/sexually transmitted disease (STD) patients can devastate rural communities. However, little is known about sexual risk behaviors of rural youth and effective strategies for reducing risks. Administrators of the TriCounty Community Health Center, a nursing center that serves a three-county rural area in northwestern Illinois, designed a community-level HIV/STD prevention program targeted for college-aged students. This prevention program emphasized the acquisition of knowledge, motivation, and behavioral skills for performing specific HIV/STD prevention acts. Results showed improved knowledge and preventive behaviors as long as one year following the interventions.