In 2005, more than 25 million adults and children worldwide were living with HIV/AIDS and more than 75% of these were in sub-Saharan Africa. Studies indicate that the incidence of HIV infection and the prevalence of high-risk behaviors among young populations continue to rise in developing countries. AIDS has severe economic impacts, especially in high-risk countries such as Nigeria. This project used secondary data from the 2003 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. The 2003 NDHS is a cross-sectional, multistage, stratified survey with systematic sampling that was designed to obtain information on key population and health indicators such as sexual activity, knowledge about AIDS and other STDs, and behavior associated with AIDS and other STDs for the entire Nigerian population, including people living in rural areas, urban areas, and six major geographic regions. Analyses were restricted to sexually active adolescents and young adults 15 to 24 years of age who are Nigerians living in Nigeria in 2003. The sample size was (n=2,418), of which 2,009 are females and 409 are males. Non-Nigerians and Nigerians in Diaspora were excluded in the original design of the survey. Also, those younger than 15 years or older than 24 years were excluded in this study. This research examined the association between independent variables and other covariates with risky sexual behaviors such as lack of condom use and multiple sex partners, as well as possible difference by gender. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using multivariate logistic regression models, adjusting for age, education and religion. All tests were done at 95% significant leve. l-- Abstract.

It is universally agreed that HIV/AIDS constitutes one of the most serious threats to human life in our era. The immigration of Zimbabwean people into America plays a major role in the socialization of Zimbabwean adolescents. Zimbabwean adolescents are exposed to the Western culture of sexual socialization, which is different from the African culture. The social bonds and traditions that used to shape Zimbabwean young people's behavior and help them make the transition to adulthood have weakened in the face of migrating to Western countries. The main problem is the transition and loss of cultural identity that affect Zimbabwean adolescents' knowledge of HIV/AIDS transmission and sexual behavior.

The United States has the dubious distinction of leading the industrialized world in overall rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), with 12 million new cases annually. About 3 million teenagers contract an STD each year, and many will have long-term health problems as a result. Women and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to these diseases and their health consequences. In addition, STDs increase the risk of HIV transmission. The Hidden Epidemic examines the scope of sexually transmitted infections in the United States and provides a critical assessment of the nation's response to this public health crisis. The book identifies the components of an effective national STD prevention and control strategy and provides direction for an appropriate response to the epidemic. Recommendations for improving public awareness and education, reaching women and adolescents, integrating public health programs, training health care professionals, modifying messages from the mass media, and supporting future research are included. The book documents the epidemiological dimensions and the economic and social costs of STDs, describing them as "a secret epidemic" with tremendous consequences. The committee frankly discusses the confusing and often hypocritical nature of how Americans deal with issues regarding sexualityâ€"the conflicting messages conveyed in the mass media, the reluctance to promote condom use, the controversy over sex education for teenagers, and the issue of personal blame. The Hidden Epidemic identifies key elements of effective, culturally appropriate programs to promote healthy behavior by adolescents and adults. It examines the problem of fragmentation in STD services and provides examples of communities that have formed partnerships between stakeholders to develop integrated approaches. The committee's recommendations provide a practical foundation on which to build an integrated national program to help young people and adults develop habits of healthy sexuality. The Hidden Epidemic was written for both health care professionals and people without a medical background and will be indispensable to anyone concerned about preventing and controlling STDs.

Substantial empirical research has documented that HIV prevention and decision-making are heavily influenced by the knowledge and practice of values and beliefs regarding infection and behavior. Most HIV research is still concentrated among high-risk populations (IDU and FSW), leaving out women in long-term heterosexual marriage who have been considered "safe" and less at risk of infection. In addition, researchers have called for more comparative and cross-cultural studies focused on the interplay of health education, behaviors, context, and HIV risk perception. The objective of this dissertation is to advance understanding of the factors sexually experienced women in Postsocialist Georgia consider important when they assess HIV perceived risk of which they are made aware by messages emanating from the social environment. A conceptual framework that integrates concepts from traditional social psychological theory and the constructs of context-specific factors to guide research intervention is applied. Combined quantitative and qualitative approaches are used to achieve a better understanding of perceived HIV risk and its association with different factors. The testing of relationships from two national Reproductive Health Survey samples (1999 and 2005) demonstrate strong positive associations among increased HIV transmission knowledge, belief in accidental transmission, HIV testing practice, and HIV perceived risk, while controlling for sociodemographic factors. Characteristics associated with social norms and economic factors (including stigmatizing attitudes about the rights of PWAs, constrained attitudes concerning sexual control, and experienced migration) demonstrate a strong significant link with assessment of HIV risk perception. Qualitative research with women strengthens the argument of superficial health education and helps to explain variations in perceived risk assessment. Through the interviews, HIV prevention practice is examined in relation to a myriad of cognitive components. This study finds health knowledge, misconceptions, stigmatizing attitudes, and beliefs in sexual and gender norms among the major factors constraining successful HIV/AIDS prevention practices. An effective strategy for HIV/AIDS prevention will require enhancement of research, more emphasis on an integrated approach to target education efforts, training providers in information diffusion approaches, and promoting a general communication campaign.