Education and HIV/AIDS prevention: evidence from a randomized evaluation in Western Kenya. (Background Paper to the 2007 World Development Report WPS4024)

Duflo, E. (2007) Education and HIV/AIDS prevention: evidence from a randomized evaluation in Western Kenya. (Background Paper to the 2007 World Development Report WPS4024). Policy Research Working Paper Series 4024.

Methods: The World Bank Results from a randomized evaluation comparing 3 school-based human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) interventions in Kenya (training teachers in the Kenyan government's HIV/AIDS-education curriculum; encouraging students to debate the role of condoms and to write essays on how to protect themselves against HIV/AIDS; and reducing the cost of education) are reported.

Results: After 2 years, girls in schools where teachers had been trained were more likely to be married in the event of a pregnancy; the programme had little impact on students' knowledge, attitudes and behaviour, or on the incidence of teen pregnancy. The programme involving condom debates and essays increased practical knowledge and self-reported use of condoms without increasing self-reporting sexual activity. Reducing the cost of education by paying for school uniforms reduced dropout rates, teen marriages and teen pregnancies