Human immunodeficiency virus prevention outcomes associated with arts-based sexual health workshop participation among Northern and Indigenous adolescents in the Northwest Territories, Canada

• Published in: International Journal of STD & AIDS
• Main Authors: Lys, Candice L, Logie, Carmen H, Lad, Anoushka, Sokolovic, Nina, Mackay, Kayley Inuksuk, Hasham, Aryssa, Malama, Kalonde
• Other Authors: Ontario Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Canada Foundation for Innovation, Institute of Aboriginal Peoples Health, Canada Research Chairs, Public Health Agency of Canada, Prix Inspiration Arctique
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: SAGE Publications 2024
• Subjects: Northwest Territories
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/09564624241226995; https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/09564624241226995; https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full-xml/10.1177/09564624241226995

Background Contextually tailored, arts-based HIV prevention strategies hold potential to advance adolescent sexual health and wellbeing. We examined HIV prevention outcomes associated with arts-based sexual health workshop participation with Northern and Indigenous adolescents in the Northwest Territories (NWT), Canada. Methods An Indigenous community-based youth agency delivered arts-based workshops in school settings to adolescents aged 13-18 in 24 NWT communities. Pre and post-test surveys included socio-demographic characteristics, sexually infections (STI) knowledge, HIV/STI risk perception, sexual relationship equity, condom use self-efficacy, and safer sex efficacy (SSE). Latent change score models were conducted to assess pre-post differences and factors associated with these differences. Results Among participants ( n = 344; mean age 14.3 years, SD: 1.3; Indigenous: 79%) most (66%) had previously attended this workshop. Latent change score models revealed a significant and large effect size for increased STI knowledge (β = 2.10, SE = 0.48, p < .001) and significant and small effect sizes for increased HIV/STI risk perception (β = 0.24, SE = 0.06, p < .001) and SSE (β = 0.16, SE = 0.07, p = .02). The largest increases across several outcomes occurred with first time workshop participants; yet previous workshop participants continued to report increases in HIV/STI risk perception and SSE. Conclusion Arts-based HIV prevention approaches show promise in advancing STI knowledge, risk perception, and SSE with Northern and Indigenous youth.