A Five Step Process for Interactive Parent-Adolescent Communication About HIV Prevention: Advice from Parents Living With HIV/AIDS.

Aim: This study investigated how parents living with HIV communicated about HIV prevention with their 10-18 year old children.

Methods: Interviews with 76 mothers and fathers were analyzed for (1) their experiences discussing HIV prevention with adolescents, and (2) advice on how to best broach HIV-related topics.

Results: Interactive conversations, where both parents and adolescents participated, were regarded as effective. Parents emphasized that adolescents should have a "voice" (be able to voice their concerns) and a "choice" (have a variety of effective prevention strategies to choose from) during HIV-related talks.

Discussion: A five step process for interactive communication emerged as a result of these discussions.

Implications: Health care professionals can facilitate adolescent sexual health by encouraging parents to actively involve their children in discussions about HIV prevention.

Conclusion: Future HIV prevention programs could benefit by providing parents with appropriate tools to foster interactive discussions about sexual health with adolescents.