Virtual Reality in HIV Prevention among Adolescent Girls: A Theoretical Framework for Kigali, Rwanda 2005 Context

Virtual reality (VR) technologies are increasingly being explored for their potential to enhance behaviour change in various health interventions, particularly among vulnerable populations such as adolescent girls. Theoretical development will draw from existing literature on HIV prevention among young people and VR applications for behaviour change. A mixed-methods approach will be employed to validate the framework’s applicability in Kigali, including a review of current interventions and expert interviews with stakeholders. The theoretical framework developed aims to provide a robust foundation for future VR-based HIV prevention programmes targeting adolescent girls in Kigali, Rwanda. Future studies should rigorously test the effectiveness of VR interventions using randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and incorporate feedback from participants to refine the training content. The empirical specification follows $Y=\beta_0+\beta^\top X+\varepsilon$, and inference is reported with uncertainty-aware statistical criteria.