Peer education is used as a health promotion strategy in a number of areas, including sexual health. Although peer education programmes have been around for some time, published systematic evaluations of youth sexual health peer education programmes are rare. This article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of youth sexual health peer education programmes, the importance of programme evaluation, and strategies for developing effective programme evaluation tools. The value of conducting both process (programme delivery) and outcome (programme impact) evaluation is examined as well as methods for conducting these forms of assessment. Considering the wide range of peer education programmes and the diversity of communities served, the article concludes that the creation of a single evaluation method may be an impossible task. To address this challenge, principles for effective programme evaluation are proposed with tools that can be tailored to the unique goals of specific sexual health organizations.
BellinghamKGilliesP. Evaluation of an AIDS education programme for young adults. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health1993: 47(2): 134–138.
2.
FennellR. A review of evaluations of peer education programs. Journal of American College Health1993: 41(6): 251–253.
3.
HamptonMJefferyBLFahlmanSAGoertzenJR. A process evaluation of the Youth Educating About Health (YEAH) program: a peer-designed and peer-led sexual health education program. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality2005: 14(3/4): 71–83.
4.
KaayaSFlisherAMbwamboJSchaalmaHAaroLKleppK. A review of studies of sexual behaviour of school students in sub-Saharan Africa. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health2002: 30: 148–160.
5.
KirbyD. Sexuality education: an evaluation of programs and their effects. Santa Cruz, CA: Network Publications, 1984.
6.
KirbyDKorpiMBarthRPCagampangHH. The impact of the postponing sexual involvement curriculum among youths in California. Family Planning Perspectives1997: 29: 100–108.
7.
Maticka-TyndaleE. Evidence of youth peer education success. In: AdamchakSE (ed.) Youth peer education in reproductive health and HIV/AIDS. Youth Issues Paper 7. Arlington, VA: Family Health International (FHI)/YouthNet, 2006.
8.
MukomaWKageeAFlisherAJMatthewsC. School-based interventions to postpone sexual intercourse and promote condom use among adolescents (Protocol). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews2007: 1: Art. No.: CD006417.
9.
RobinLDittusPWhitakerD. Behavioral interventions to reduce incidence of HIV, STD and pregnancy among adolescents: A decade in review. Journal of Adolescent Health2004: 34(1): 3–26.
10.
SciaccaJ. Student peer health education: a powerful yet inexpensive helping strategy. The Peer Facilitator Quarterly1987: 5: 4–6.
11.
FrankhamJ. AIDS peer education project evaluation report. Norwich: University of East Anglia, Centre for Applied Research in Education, 1993.
12.
PerryCLSievingR. Peer involvement in global AIDS prevention among adolescents. University of Minnesota/World Health Organisation. 1993.
13.
BluhmJVolikMMorganN. Sexual health peer education among youth in Samara: the Russian Federation. Entre Nous: The European Magazine for Sexual and Reproductive Health2003: (56): 10–11.
WilliamsonLHartGFlowersPFrankisJSDerGJ. The gay men’s task force: the impact of peer education on the sexual health behaviour of homosexual men in Glasgow. Sexually Transmitted Infections2001: 77(6): 427–432.
16.
PhilliberS. In search of peer power: a review of research on peer-based interventions for teens. In: Peer potential: making the most of how teens influence each other. Washington, DC: The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, 1999.
17.
SvensonGBurkeHJohnsonL. Impact of youth peer education programs. Youth Research Working Paper No. 9. Research Triangle Park, NC: FHI, 2007.
18.
KinzeyRE. Using public relations strategies to promote your nonprofit organization. New York, NY: Haworth Press, 1999.
BrownJDKellerS. Can the mass media be healthy sex educators?Family Planning Perspectives2000: 32(5): 255–256.
23.
FlickerSGoldbergEReadS. HIV-positive youth’s perspectives on the Internet and eHealth. Journal of Medical Internet Research2004: 6(3): e32.
24.
LouCZhaoQGaoEShahI. Can the internet be used effectively to provide sex education to young people in China?Journal of Adolescent Health2006: 39(5): 720–728.
25.
SmithMGertzEAlvarezSLurieP. The content and accessibility of sex education information on the internet. Health Education and Behavior2000: 28(6): 684–694.
ChittickJ. Using the internet: cost-effective way to expand AIDS prevention efforts for youth. International Conference on AIDS1998: 12: 154–155 (abstract no. 13342).
StakicSZielonyRBodirozaAKimzekeG. Peer education within a frame of theories and models of behaviour change. Entre Nous: The European Magazine for Sexual and Reproductive Health2003: (56): 4–6.
34.
GangeGKanepaja-VanagaEUpenieksR. Handbook for peer educators HIV/AIDS and reproductive health. UNDP: Ministry of Education and Science, 2003.
35.
National Hemophilia Foundation. Peer-to-peer health education programs for youth: their impact on comprehensive health education. New York, NY: The Foundation, 1994.
36.
DiClementeRJ. Preventing HIV/AIDS among adolescents: schools as agents of behavior change. JAMA1993: 270(6): 760–762.
37.
FordNInmanM. Safer sex in tourist resorts. World Health Forum1992: 13: 77–80.
38.
HamiltonV. HIV/AIDS: a peer education approach. Youth Policy1992: 36: 27–31.
39.
Health Education Authority. Peers in partnership: HIV/AIDS education with young people in the community. London: Health Education Authority, 1993.
40.
KleppKHalperAPerryC. The efficacy of peer leaders in drug abuse prevention. Journal of School Health1986: 56(9): 407–411.
41.
PhelpsFAMellanbyARCrichtonNJTrippJH. Sex education: the effect of a peer programme on pupils (aged 13–14 years) and their peer leaders. Health Education Journal1994: 53: 127–139.
42.
National 4-H Council. Creating youth/adult partnerships: training curricula for youth, adults and youth/adult teams. Bethesda, MD: The Council, 1999.
GasaNB. Skills building, supervision and support for peer educators in a university setting. International Conference on AIDS2002; 14: Abstract No. TuPeF5375.
45.
KellyJASt LawrenceJSDiazYE. HIV risk behavior reduction following intervention with key opinion leaders of a population: an experimental community-level analysis. American Journal of Public Health1991: 81(2): 168–171.
46.
O’HaraPMessickBJRonaldFRParrisD. A peer-led AIDS prevention program for students in an alternative school. Journal of School Health1996: 66: 176–182.
47.
RickertVIJayMSGottliebA. Effects of a peer-counseled AIDS education program on knowledge, attitudes, and satisfaction of adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Health1991: 12: 38–43.
48.
SlapGBPlotkinSLKhalidNMichelmanDFForkeCM. A human immunodeficiency virus peer education program for adolescent females. Journal of Adolescent Health1991: 12(6): 434–442.
49.
WalkerSAAvisM. Common reasons why peer education fails. Journal of Adolescence1999: 22(4): 573–577.
50.
WestPMitchellL. Smoking and peer influence. In: GorecznyALHersenN (eds) Handbook of paediatric and adolescent health psychology. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon, 1995.
51.
CampbellCMacPhailC. Peer education, gender and the development of critical consciousness: participatory HIV prevention by South African youth. Social Science & Medicine2002: 55(2): 331–345.
52.
CampbellC. Creating environments that support peer education: experiences form HIV/AIDS-prevention in South Africa. Health Education2004: 104(4): 197–200.
53.
KerrJ. Community health promotion: challenges for practice. Edinburgh: Elsevier Health Sciences, 2000.
DuryeaEJ. Principles of non-verbal communication in efforts to reduce peer and social pressure. The Journal of School Health1991: 61(1): 5–10.
56.
MilburnK. A critical review of peer education with young people with special reference to sexual health. Health Education Research1995: 10: 407–420.
57.
HardenAOakleyAOliverS. Peer-delivered health promotion for young people: a systematic review of different study designs. Health Education Journal2001: 60: 339–353.
58.
CaronFGodinGOtisJLambertLD. Evaluation of a theoretically based AIDS/STD peer education program on postponing sexual intercourse and on condom use among adolescents attending high school. Health Education Research2004: 19(2): 185–197.
59.
BoyerCBSieverdingJSillerJGallareadAChangYJ. Youth united through health education: community-level, peer-led outreach to increase awareness and improve noninvasive sexually transmitted infection screening in urban African American youth. Journal of Adolescent Health2007: 40(6): 499–505.
60.
FangXStantonBLiXFeigelmanSBaldwinR. Similarities in sexual activity and condom use among friends within groups before and after a risk-reduction intervention. Youth & Society1998: 29(4): 431–450.
61.
MahatGScolovenoMARualesNScolovenoR. Preparing peer educators for teen HIV/AIDS prevention. Journal of Pediatric Nursing2006: 21(5): 378–384.
62.
MorrisonDMCaseyEABeadnellBA. Effects of friendship closeness in an adolescent group HIV prevention intervention. Prev Sci2007: 8: 274–284.
63.
Linda Simkin. Evaluation of the HIV/AIDS education program/including condom availability, 1990–1992. OREA Report. Brooklyn, NY: New York City Board of Education, 1992.
64.
O’TooleBJMcConkeyRCassonKGoetz-GoldbergDYazdaniA. Knowledge and attitudes of young people in Guyana to HIV/AIDS. International Journal of STD and AIDS2007: 18: 193–197.
65.
HendersonPC. South African AIDS orphans: examining assumptions around vulnerability from the perspective of rural children and youth. Childhood2006: 13(3): 303–327.
66.
BoyceWDohertyMFortinCMacKinnonD. Canadian youth, sexual health and HIV/AIDS study: factors influencing knowledge, attitudes and behaviours. Toronto, ON: Council of Ministries of Education, 2003.
67.
GallantMMaticka-TyndaleE. School-based HIV prevention programmes for African youth. Social Science & Medicine2004: 58(7): 1337–1351.
