December 2003

Programming for HIV Prevention in
Mexican Schools

Photo credit: Rick Maiman, courtesy of David and Lucile Packard Foundation/Photoshare/Info Project

As national education programs incorporate HIV prevention into school curricula, policymakers and educators need to know what they can expect from these initiatives. Can such courses influence the behavior of students as well as their knowledge and attitudes? If not, what can these courses reasonably be expected to accomplish, and what part can they play in overall HIV programming for youth?

To help answer these questions, the Mexican Institute of Family and Population Research (IMIFAP), the Mexican Ministry of Public Education (SEP), and the Horizons Program examined the effects of a school-based HIV prevention program on Mexican secondary school students. All public schools in Mexico must implement sexuality education and teacher training programs, although the content is left to each state’s discretion. Students must pass this class just as they would other courses in the curriculum.

With input and approval from SEP, IMIFAP, a leading Mexican NGO experienced in designing sex education courses, developed the curriculum—A Team Against AIDS (Un Equipo Contra el SIDA)—and the teacher-training program that was used in this study. The 30-session student curriculum focuses on a broad range of topics that aim to equip students with information and skills to prevent HIV infection.

• Study Methods
• Key Findings
• Conclusions
• PDF format of summary (80 KB)

Principal study investigators included Susan Pick and Martha Givaudan (Mexican Institute of Family and Population Research), and Ann P. McCauley (Horizons/International Center for Research on Women). Jessica Greene (Horizons/Population Council) compiled this summary. For further information, please contact Martha Givaudan (marthag@imifap.org.mx) or Ann McCauley (amccauley@popcouncil.org).

Suggested citation: McCauley, A. et al. 2004. "Programming for HIV Prevention in Mexican Schools," Horizons Research Summary. Washington, D.C.: Population Council.

About Horizons

Horizons conducts global operations research to improve prevention, care, and support program. Horizons is implemented by the Population Council under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Agency for International Development. Horizons is implemented by the Population Council in partnership with the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH), the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, Tulane University, Family Health International (FHI), and Johns Hopkins University.

Copyright © 2003 The Population Council

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19 Nov 2007