A PEER-LED AIDS-PREVENTION PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS IN AN ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL

School-based programs designed to measure health risk behavior and red uce the risk of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and human immunod eficiency virus (HN) infection have riot addressed adequately the need s of adolescents outside of mainstream schools. In Florida, these yout h represent a sizable proportion of the population and have been shown to be at increased risk for acquiring sexually transmitted diseases a nd human immunodeficiency virus. This article describes a peer-led STD /HIV intervention for students in a dropout prevention program in Dade County, Florida. Trained peer counselor/educators (PCEs) led schoolwi de activities and classroom sessions covering STD/HIV information, com munity health resources, communication and negotiation skills, and saf er sex strategies. Teachers and students rated rile PCEs effective in promoting discussion and serving as sources of information about AIDS and community health resources. Pre/post intervention questionnaire re sults demonstrated an increase in AIDS awareness and discussion among students as well as ail increase in condom use. Based on this social i nfluences approach, peer education appears to be a promising health ed ucation strategy for students in dropout prevention programs.