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Alex
Joined: Jul 17, 2001
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AIDS EDUCATION AND YOUNG PEOPLE
Sep 20, 2003
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Why is AIDS Education Important for Young People?
Young people are especially vulnerable to HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). They
are also vulnerable as regards drug use (and not just injected drugs). Even if they are not engaging
in risk behaviours today, they may soon be exposed to situations that put them at risk.
In many countries 60% of all new HIV infections are among 15-24 year-olds. Also the highest rates of
STDs are usually found in the age range 20-24 years, followed by 15-19 years.
Does education about AIDS make young people more sexually active?
It is commonly supposed that talking to young people about sex will make them do it. Such anxieties
prevent many teachers, youth workers and parents from talking about sexual matters. Alternatively,
they may encourage an over-emphasis on the negative aspects of sex - unwanted pregnancy, sexually
transmitted diseases, AIDS - rather than positive aspects such as intimacy, sexual love and
pleasure. Likewise when drugs are talked about the emphasis is often on the damage they can cause.
This kind of unbalanced approach is often seen through by young people. In consequence, they may
reject all that adults have to say, seeking guidance and role models from peers and from the
media.
Contrary to what might popularly be believed, research looking at the effects of sex education on
young people's sexual behaviour offers little evidence that it hastens the onset of sexual
experience, or increases sexual risk among those who are already sexually active. Indeed, several
studies from different countries show that good quality sex education can actually decrease the
likelihood that young people will have sex, and increases condom use among those who are already
sexually active.
What type of education works best in school?
It is widely recognised that the best approaches to sex and drug education in schools are broad
based and have several components. These include the provision of factual information about biology,
sexual development, and sexual and drug-related risks; a concern with personal relationships,
feelings and values; an emphasis on the acquisition of relevant negotiation skills (including but
not restricted to how to say 'no'); and a consideration of wider social pressures and cultural
expectations.
Successful sex education programmes have several key qualities. These include the provision of
information, exercises to encourage an appraisal of values, and role play rehearsal to teach sexual
negotiation skills. Programmes that aim to reduce specific sexual risk-taking behaviours and which
reinforce group norms against unprotected sex and discuss social pressures to have unprotected
sexual activity have been shown to be particularly successful. School curricula with these qualities
have been shown significantly to reduce the likelihood that students who have not had sex prior to
their exposure to the curriculum will have had unprotected sexual intercourse eighteen months
later.
What works out of school?
Ideally, services for young people should be provided in a variety of ways - through specialised
clinics, through youth advisory services, through general practitioners (doctors) and through local
outreach work. The kind of services that are found most acceptable and appropriate by young people
are those that offer a range of integrated services, are accessible at evenings and weekends, are
close to public transport, have an appropriate image and atmosphere, and have approachable,
non-judgmental and reassuring staff.
Studies show that peers can be well respected sources of information and support on AIDS-related
concerns. Peer-led education has been shown to be effective in the field of substance abuse, and
there are studies demonstrating its ability to bring about changes in HIV-related knowledge and
attitudes. Studies focusing on risk behaviours are harder to come by. The best peer-led education
programmes have clear objectives, provide training, support and supervision for peer educators, are
accompanied by service provision or referral to appropriate services, and include regular monitoring
and evaluation.
Other successful out of school programmes include those that provide culturally appropriate
opportunities for learning through videotapes, games, exercises and other materials. These have been
shown to be effective in reducing the incidence of unsafe sex and promoting intentions to use
condoms.
How can we meet the needs of special groups?
Some groups of young people have special needs in relation to HIV and AIDS. Perhaps the most obvious
of these are related to gender. Young women in particular may require support in acquiring the
assertiveness and sexual negotiation skills that may enable them to avoid unwanted or unprotected
sex. Young men on the other hand may need encouragement to listen carefully to what young women have
to say and to respect their wishes in relation to sex and drug use.
The needs of young lesbians and young gay men may be missed by programmes and interventions that
assume that all young people are heterosexual. There is evidence from the US at least that some
young gay men may be at special risk of HIV. A variety of factors may cause this including the
perception that AIDS is a disease of older men, a sense of low self worth caused by the reactions of
parents and society, and less experience negotiating safer sex. Effective interventions among young
gay men include risk-reduction counselling followed by peer education and referral to appropriate
health services, and community based programmes using social, outreach and small group activities
organised and run by young men themselves.
Young Black people and young people from minority ethnic communities may also have special needs
when it comes to the promotion of safer sex and safer drug use. These may include access to
materials and messages that are linguistically and culturally relevant, as well as what some writers
have called 'culturally relevant learning'. These include activities and videotapes that engage
directly with the interests and anxieties of the young people concerned.
Young homeless people may have special needs when it comes to HIV prevention. Some may have unsafe
sex in order to obtain food and clothing, and in order to have somewhere to live. Some may share
syringes and needles when injecting drugs. For many such young people, HIV and AIDS may seem less
important than finding food and shelter. In order to be effective, intervention programmes among
homeless young people need to address these concerns as well as AIDS-related issues. Providing
access to health care and other resources, training in coping and sexual negotiation skills, and
video and art workshops have been shown to be effective in reducing high risk patterns of sexual
behaviour and promoting consistent condom use among members of this group.
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chris oberley
Joined: Sep 23, 2003
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Re: AIDS EDUCATION AND YOUNG PEOPLE
Sep 23, 2003
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I completly agree Aids and Sex education is impooratant for any young person. WHat u have said here
is a good thing and keep on saying them
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Mohammad Ziaul Ahsan
Joined: May 6, 2002
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Country: Bangladesh
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youth can!!!!
Sep 30, 2003
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Our family member can make readers individual interest for our children and the youth can learn the
family members(adolescents/adults) for their interest. Only book can stop the infectous diseases and
everyone have to literate in this matter!!
cheers!!
Zia
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Crystal_Abongta
Joined: Oct 18, 2002
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Country: Cameroon
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I agree with Stanley. In any civilized community, the members are supposed to integrate sex
education in to the school curriculum. The HIV/AIDS is still an on hided mystery in many a community
today partly because it’s a whole taboo issue and people think keeping the silences makes things
better. It only downs on many too late that it does exactly the reverse.
Children metamorphosing into adolescents need to know what is happening to them, they need to know
how to manage their changing physiological environments as well as the racing hormones in their
systems.
Girls in particular need to know what to expect and do about the onset of menstruation and above all
boys and girls need to know how to keep a distance from premarital sex and latter on practice safe
sex.
Ignorance of theses life issues is as dangerous as the HIV itself and has adverse consequences.
Youths who are introduced into sex education early enough are better place to take informed
decisions about their sexualities and thus are to a greater extend saved from the huddles of the sex
world.
Some of the youths become sex workers (I call them the HIV on two legs) not because they truly want
it but because of ignorance.
Integrating sex education in the school curriculum is the wisest step any community can take to
fight the HIV/AIDS and other sex linked infections.
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Faddy
Joined: Jun 9, 2003
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Province/State: Bihar
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Re: AIDS EDUCATION AND YOUNG PEOPLE
Sep 30, 2003
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this all is justified and required but what initiative should we take and more importantly how to
take, better discuss on these issues.
farhad
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Oke Rotimi
Joined: Jul 24, 2003
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Re: AIDS EDUCATION AND YOUNG PEOPLE
Oct 15, 2003
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I strongly agree with all your views and believe if we all come together,we will hampion this course
and get to a reasonable conclusion in fighting this disease and also probably get cpermanent cure fo
it.
Anyway i still belive publicity and awareness still very relevant in cubbing the disiease from
spreading beyound control.
Oke Rotimi (omo iya shade)
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tynnetta
Joined: Oct 24, 2003
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INFORMATIVE HELP
Oct 24, 2003
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TRY IF YOU CAN TO FIND A BOOK CALLED BACK TO EDEN:BY JETHRO KLOSS IT IS A BOOK ON HERBAL HEALING(PRE
1980 EDITION.
IT IS VERY INFORMATIVE ON NATURAL HEALING THROUGH PLANTS.
THE USE OF LEMON JUICE IS VERY EFFECTIVE ON GERMS AND AS WELL TO USE AFTER GENERAL SOAP
CLEANSING(REAL LEMONS NOT CONCENTRATE)
MY NAME IS :
TYNNETTA(TAYLOR)MUTURI
2961 SOUTH DEARBORN#703
CHICAGO,ILLINOIS 60616
PRAY -I WILL BE PRAYING FOR ALL YOU GUYS(GIRLS)
LET'S COMMUNICATE ABOUT WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT
IN JESUS NAME
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