Study the effect of education based on the theory of planned behavior in the prevention of AIDS among addicts

Addicts are one of the carriers of HIV/AIDS who should be trained to prevent this transmission. Due to the importance of education in the prevention of HIV / AIDS, the present study was conducted to investigate the effect of education based on the theory of planned behavior in the prevention of AIDS.

This quasi-experimental study was performed in 2019-2020 on 100 addicts referred to addiction treatment centers (DIC) in Sari who were selected by convenience sampling method. Data were gathered in two phases (before and two months after implementing the intervention) using a designed questionnaire to measure the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) constructs fill for both groups. The educational intervention was designed in four educational sessions (one-hour) according to the results obtained in the pre-test and was performed for the intervention group. Data were analyzed using the statistical tests in the SPSS-23.

Before the intervention, there was no significant difference in the structures of the theory of planned behavior between the two groups (p>0.05), but after the intervention, attitude scores from 18.12±4.96 to 21.92 ±6.62, abstract norms from 19.38 ±3.62 to 22.66 ±5.38, perceived behavioral control from 17.85 ±4.92 to 20.61 ±6.13, behavioral intention from 12.42 ± 4.62 to 15.44 ±6.65 and behavior from 12.40 ±4.34 to 16.38 ±6.47 in the experimental group (p< 0.05).

The results of the present study showed that the educational intervention based on the theory of planned behavior is effective in preventive behaviors of AIDS in addicts. Due to the significant effect of the intervention on the structures of the theory of planned behavior, education based on this theory can be used as a framework for designing and implementing educational interventions to prevent HIV/AIDS among addicts.