Piloting an evidence-based intervention for HIV prevention among street youth in Eldoret, Kenya

Objectives This study presents findings from piloting an adapted evidence-based intervention, Stepping Stones and Creating Futures, to change street-connected young people’s HIV knowledge, condom-use self-efficacy, and sexual practices. Methods Eighty street-connected young people participated in a pre- and post-test mixed methods design in Eldoret, Kenya. The primary outcome of interest was HIV knowledge. Secondary outcomes included condom-use self-efficacy and sexual practices. Multiple linear regression models for change scores with adjustment for socio-demographic variables were fitted. Qualitative and quantitative findings are presented together, where integration confirms, expands on, or uncovers discordant findings. Results Participants had a significant increase in HIV knowledge from pre- to post-intervention. The median HIV knowledge score pre-intervention was 11 (IQR 8–13) and post-intervention 14 (IQR 12–16). Attendance was significantly associated with HIV knowledge change scores. Qualitatively participants reported increased HIV and condom-use knowledge and improved condom-use self-efficacy and health-seeking practices. Conclusions Our findings support the potential for further testing with a rigorous study design to investigate how best to tailor the intervention, particularly by gender, and increase the overall effectiveness of the program. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s00038-020-01349-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.