Prevention of HIV, AIDS and STD: are girls and women involved?
Baldo, M.
Kangaroo 3(1): 56-60
1994
ISSN/ISBN: 1122-8474 PMID: 12288360 Document Number: 207476
Women aged 13-19 are infected with HIV through sexual intercourse at an higher rate than any other subpopulation in several African countries and become infected at a younger age than men. Older, married women may be exposed to the risk of contracting HIV by husbands who choose not to be monogamous. Even though enough evidence exists on effective interventions to initiate and improve prevention programs, prevention strategies for HIV, AIDS, and sexually transmitted diseases (STD) remain controversial when seen from the perspective of women and girls. Enough epidemiological research on AIDS and women has already been conducted to justify programmatic action. The author discusses school education for girls, skill-based education on health and sexuality, information in the community on social norms, and services for young people with user-friendly staff. To respond to women's needs, AIDS prevention programs must design short-term measures without losing sight of the underlying causes of women's vulnerability. Women and girls are seldom asked to articulate their needs and aspirations, so programs develop which focus upon sex-related problems as perceived by others, rather than being based upon women's experience, motivation, and strengths. Women's groups are the main resource for HIV/AIDS/STD prevention since they can challenge unhealthy social norms, provide a safe place to analyze sexual behavior, and offer the chance to reinterpret prevention messages to make them relevant to their members and families. Effective interventions are also needed for male sex partners such as vigorous condom promotion and needle exchange schemes for IV drug users, as well as improved access to services providing contraceptives and STD care. Development of a vaginal virucide would be a marked achievement.