Rethinking how to prevent HIV in young people: evidence from two large randomised controlled trials in Tanzania and Zimbabwe

The MEMA kwa Vijana (Tanzania) and Regai Dzive Shiri (Zimbabwe) adolescent sexual and reproductive health intervention trials focused on developing skills and changing attitudes and self-efficacy to change behaviours. The trials show a clear gap between young people's knowledge, and their reported attitudes and behaviour. These results suggest that even carefully designed interventions delivered through schools or community peer-educators, with complementary interventions in the health services, are unlikely, on their own, to have a substantial effect on the HIV epidemic in the short or medium term.