Effects of Teacher Training and Continued Support on the Delivery of an Evidence-Based HIV Prevention Program

Findings From a National Implementation Study in the Bahamas

Bibliographic Data

ID21650553
AuthorsBo Wang (0000-0002-0290-2134, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA, corresponding author), Lynette Deveaux (0000-0002-8356-9133, Ministry of Health, Nassau, The Bahamas), Yan Guo (0000-0001-8666-6169, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA), Elizabeth Schieber (0000-0002-7102-2878, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA), Richard Adderley (Ministry of Health, Nassau, The Bahamas), Stephenie C Lemon (0000-0003-3321-6070, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School), Stephenie Lemon (University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA), Jeroan J Allison (0000-0003-4472-2112, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School), Jeroan Allison (University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA), Xiaoming Li (0000-0002-5555-9034, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA), Nikkiah Forbes (0000-0003-0871-852X, Ministry of Health, Nassau, The Bahamas), Sylvie Naar (0000-0001-6369-4685, Florida State University College of Medicine)
Year2023
Volume50
Issue6
Pages770-782
Publication date2023-12-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHealth Education & Behavior (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1090-1981 • E-ISSN: 1552-6127
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/10901981231195881
PMID37658728
OpenAlexW4386386380
LanguageEN
References cited39

Background Few studies have investigated the effects of teacher training and continued support on teachers’ delivery of evidence-based HIV prevention programs. We examined these factors in a national implementation study of an evidence-based HIV risk reduction intervention for adolescents in the sixth grade in the Bahamas. Methods Data were collected from 126 grade 6 teachers and 3,118 students in 58 government elementary schools in the Bahamas in 2019–2021. This is a Hybrid Type III implementation study guided by the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) model. Teachers attended 2-day training workshops. Trained school coordinators and peer mentors provided biweekly monitoring and mentorship. We used mixed-effects models to assess the effects of teacher training and continued support on implementation fidelity. Results Teachers who received training in-person or both in-person and online taught the most core activities (27.0 and 27.2 of 35), versus only online training (21.9) and no training (14.9) ( F = 15.27, p < .001). Teachers with an “excellent” or “very good” school coordinator taught more core activities than those with a “satisfactory” coordinator or no coordinator (29.2 vs. 27.8 vs. 19.3 vs. 14.8, F = 29.20, p < .001). Teachers with a “very good” mentor taught more core activities and sessions than those with a “satisfactory” mentor or no mentor (30.4 vs. 25.0 vs. 23.1; F = 7.20; p < .01). Teacher training, implementation monitoring, peer mentoring, teachers’ self-efficacy, and school-level support were associated with implementation fidelity, which in turn was associated with improved student outcomes (HIV/AIDS knowledge, preventive reproductive health skills, self-efficacy, and intention to use protection). Conclusion Teachers receiving in-person training and those having higher-rated school coordinator and mentor support taught a larger number of HIV prevention core activities. Effective teacher training, implementation monitoring, and peer mentoring are critical for improving implementation fidelity and student outcomes

Faculty Development · Fidelity · Medical education · Mentorship · Peer support · Political science · Professional development · Program evaluation · Community Health and Development · Engineering · Health Policy Implementation Science · Medicine · Nursing · Psychology · School Health and Nursing Education

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