The Benefits of AIDS Education

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Thesis: This paper will illustrate the benefits of AIDS education by discuss the nine characteristics of effective HIV education curricula, community HIV programs and parent involved HIV programs.

Almost all the states in America promote some form of sexuality and HIV education through mandates or recommendations. According to an article entitled "Sexuality Education in American Public Schools," 47 states require or encourage teaching about human sexuality, and 48 states require or encourage instruction about HIV/AIDS. Although these statistics suggest that sexuality and AIDS education is widely available in American schools, the quality and comprehensiveness of this education can vary considerably.

In some schools, teachers of HIV and sexuality education are prohibited from mentioning topics such as intercourse, homosexuality, or condoms. (SIECUS Internet) In contrast, a comprehensive HIV and sexuality education program features a thorough and accurate curriculum that examines such subjects as human development, sexual behavior and health, relationships, and society and culture. This type of curriculum explains the facts of HIV and sex, and does not leave room for misunderstanding and misinterpretation by the students. Less than 10% of American students receive comprehensive sexuality education throughout their school years. (SIECUS Internet) This paper is going to discuss the characteristics of a successful, comprehensive HIV and sexuality education program that is so badly needed in our schools today. It will also look at community and parent/child programs also available.

As reported by The AIDS Knowledge Base, the Division of Adolescent and School Health within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has an important "Research to Classroom" initiative in which it rigorously examines the evidence for the effectiveness of programs in reducing sexual risk-taking behaviors. (SIECUS Internet) It then supports the adoption of those programs in schools and communities. So far, it has identified four curricula as having particularly strong evidence for success. The four curricula are Be a Responsible Teen, Be Proud and Be Responsible, Get Real about AIDS, and Reducing the Risk. (SIECUS Internet) According to the article "HIV Prevention Among Adolescents" these four curricula and other successful curricula share nine characteristics that make them such a thriving AIDS and sexual education curriculum. In the following paragraphs I would like to look at the nine characteristics of a successful curricula, the two current comprehensive community HIV education programs and the HIV education programs for parents and their families.

The first characteristic of an effective program is that it focused clearly on reducing sexual behaviors that lead to unintended pregnancy or HIV infection.

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