AIDS Education for Adolescents in High School (From AIDS Knowledge Base, P (1-11.1.8)-(7-11.1.8), 1990, P T Cohen, Merle A Sande, et al, eds. -- See NCJ-124753)

• NCJ Number: 124762
• Author(s): M Quackenbush
• Date Published: 1990
• Length: 7 pages
• Sale Source: The Medical Publishing Group
• Publication Type: Best Practice/State-of-the-Art Review
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This paper provides guidelines for teaching high school students about AIDS and how to prevent it.

Abstract

There are four essential concepts adolescents must understand about AIDS: it is a viral disease, not a gay disease; it is not easily transmitted; it is not transmitted by casual contact; under certain circumstances, anyone can contract the AIDS infection; and people can protect themselves from HIV infection. The ultimate goal of AIDS education is behavior change. The behaviors intended are abstaining from sexual intercourse and intravenous drug use or at the very minimum, the practice of safer sex techniques and the avoidance of needle sharing. Some successful drug-abuse and smoking prevention programs provide a useful model for AIDS preventive education. Overall, studies have found that classes that only address the hazards of these activities have little effect; however, programs that help students develop decisionmaking and refusal skills have been effective. AIDS education for high school students is most likely to be effective when it is a collaborative community effort involving schools, public health departments, churches and temples, and community organizations. 5 resources, 30 references.