The Population Council’s research projects on young people and HIV and AIDS, summarized below, focus on two key areas that make young people vulnerable to HIV infection and its consequences: poor access to information and services and lack of power within sexual relationships.

• Evaluating the Impact of HIV Prevention Programs in Schools in Mexico, South Africa, and Thailand
  The aim of this Council study was to determine whether school programs similar to those that have led to the adoption of safe behavior in the United States can have the same effect in developing countries. The study also aimed to identify methods by which teachers can be trained and supported so that their teaching has a behavioral effect on students. To achieve these objectives, the study examined the impact of life skills education programs on the behavior of young people. Study findings indicate improved knowledge of safe behavior and attitudes toward HIV-infected people. In addition, there was some behavioral change among subgroups. For example, there was a significant increase in condom use among females in Thailand and a decrease in the number of sexual partners among males in South Africa. In addition, among young people in South Africa approval of abstinence increased, and young men and women indicated their intent to be abstinent in the near future. In Mexico almost all young people were abstinent before and after the program.
    
• Transition to Adulthood in the Context of HIV and AIDS in South Africa
  The objective of this study was to define the role and effectiveness of school-based programs in increasing safe behavior among young people in South Africa. The study findings indicate substantial short-to-medium-term effects of a life skills program on certain areas of sexual and reproductive health–related knowledge, perceived condom self-efficacy, and condom use behavior. However, no effects on age at sexual debut or numbers of sexual partners were observed. Despite rising, consistent condom use, these levels are only moderate (in the 30–40 percent range for different subgroups), thus many young people remain at high risk.
   
• Developing High-Quality Voluntary Counseling and Testing Service Delivery Strategies for Young People in Uganda
  This formative research effort focused on exploring the feasibility of voluntary counseling and testing services for young people. At the same time, it aimed to identify the role and effectiveness of school-based programs in increasing safe behavior among young people in Uganda. Based on these data, the Council will develop and implement voluntary counseling and testing services and assess their acceptability to and outcomes for young people, service providers, and the community.
    
• Promoting More Gender-Equitable Norms and Behavior Among Young Men in Brazil
  This study, initiated in 2002, examines gender-equitable norms among young men in Brazil. The objective of the study is to determine the cost and effectiveness of different approaches of promoting gender-sensitive HIV risk-reduction behaviors among young men.

Locations
Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Thailand, Uganda, Zambia

Population Council researchers 
Eka Esu-Williams, Milka Juma, Naomi Rutenberg

Non-Council collaborators 

Brazil: PROMUNDO

Mexico: IMIFAP, Educación, Salud y Vida

South Africa: Medical Research Council; University of Natal, Durban

Thailand: PATH/Thailand; Thailand Department of Education

Uganda: AIDS Information Centre; The AIDS Support Organization; Kitovu Hospital; Makerere University; Naguru Teenage Information and Health Center

United States: Julie Pulerwitz (PATH/Horizons, Tulane University)

Publications/Resources on this issue

See Also 

• Frontiers in Reproductive Health – Research on HIV/AIDS & Youth

• Horizons – Publications/Resources on HIV/AIDS & Youth

• Transitions to Adulthood

• "Early marriage is putting teenage girls at a greater risk of getting HIV" (offsite link)