HIV/AIDS continues to challenge prevention, care and treatment efforts and presents an increasingly urgent threat to population health. In the context of prevention, this fatal sexually transmitted infection (STI) underscores the importance of providing youth (the fastest growing risk group) with adequate information, motivation, behavioural skills, and access to resources that support the achievement and maintenance of sexual health across the lifespan. However, youth have proven to be a difficult audience to reach, particularly with educational programs that approach adolescent sexuality from an adult frame of reference, one that often stresses the negative aspects of human sexuality. Yet many of the tasks associated with a successful transition into adulthood and social integration depend upon the ability to initiate and maintain long-term, intimate sexual relationships. Using a case study methodology, this research?which was conducted in British Columbia, Canada?investigated the potential effects of an innovative theatre-based, peer-led HIV prevention/sexuality education program on four groups of high school students and the peer leaders. The potential of theatre-in-education was examined to determine if this format would engage youth audiences?and keep them engaged?and if it would have a positive impact on self-reported confidence in performing risk-reduction behaviours. The results from the four case studies strongly suggest that peer-led theatre presented in conjunction with peer-led discussion has the potential to not only engage youth between 12 and 17, but to also increase self-reported confidence in their ability reduce risk. In two of the cases, engagement was high and constant; while the two other cases demonstrated that the format has a strong potential for drawing more reluctant audiences into discussions over time. In all cases, confidence reportedly increased. Further to this, audiences reported gains in knowledge, improvements in behavioural and communication skills, and increased motivation to use condoms and to access sexual health care. In addition, and perhaps most importantly, there were reports of increased communication about sexual health issues, the development of greater compassion and tolerance, along with the desire to avoid stigmatizing HIV-positive individuals and sexual minorities. The peer leaders reported comparable effects. Given that stigma has been identified as the most persistent barrier to HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment, embedding peer-led theatre programs?focused on sexuality and HIV prevention?into currently existing theatre arts curricula within the public school system offers a powerful and cost-effective means of providing comprehensive sexual health education. It would be shrewd (from both a social and economic perspective) for education ministries and school districts to capitalize on the positive aspects of adolescent peer networks and youths' natural tendency to learn from one another. This research, while based on informed judgment, adequacy and plausibility rather than on the gold standard of a randomized control trial, arguably provides initial evidence that the theatre-in-education format is worthy of implementation on a wider scale. Investing in the set-up, maintenance and rigorous evaluation of peer-led theatre-in-education programs which focus on sexuality has the potential to normalize safer sexual practices and improve population health, for this generation and generations to come.

HIV/AIDS continues to challenge prevention, care and treatment efforts and presents an increasingly urgent threat to population health. In the context of prevention, this fatal sexually transmitted infection (STI) underscores the importance of providing youth (the fastest growing risk group) with adequate information, motivation, behavioural skills, and access to resources that support the achievement and maintenance of sexual health across the lifespan. However, youth have proven to be a difficult audience to reach, particularly with educational programs that approach adolescent sexuality from an adult frame of reference, one that often stresses the negative aspects of human sexuality. Yet many of the tasks associated with a successful transition into adulthood and social integration depend upon the ability to initiate and maintain long-term, intimate sexual relationships. Using a case study methodology, this research?which was conducted in British Columbia, Canada?investigated the potential effects of an innovative theatre-based, peer-led HIV prevention/sexuality education program on four groups of high school students and the peer leaders. The potential of theatre-in-education was examined to determine if this format would engage youth audiences?and keep them engaged?and if it would have a positive impact on self-reported confidence in performing risk-reduction behaviours. The results from the four case studies strongly suggest that peer-led theatre presented in conjunction with peer-led discussion has the potential to not only engage youth between 12 and 17, but to also increase self-reported confidence in their ability reduce risk. In two of the cases, engagement was high and constant; while the two other cases demonstrated that the format has a strong potential for drawing more reluctant audiences into discussions over time. In all cases, confidence reportedly increased. Further to this, audiences reported gains in knowledge, improvements in behavioural and communication skills, and increased motivation to use condoms and to access sexual health care. In addition, and perhaps most importantly, there were reports of increased communication about sexual health issues, the development of greater compassion and tolerance, along with the desire to avoid stigmatizing HIV-positive individuals and sexual minorities. The peer leaders reported comparable effects. Given that stigma has been identified as the most persistent barrier to HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment, embedding peer-led theatre programs?focused on sexuality and HIV prevention?into currently existing theatre arts curricula within the public school system offers a powerful and cost-effective means of providing comprehensive sexual health education. It would be shrewd (from both a social and economic perspective) for education ministries and school districts to capitalize on the positive aspects of adolescent peer networks and youths' natural tendency to learn from one another. This research, while based on informed judgment, adequacy and plausibility rather than on the gold standard of a randomized control trial, arguably provides initial evidence that the theatre-in-education format is worthy of implementation on a wider scale. Investing in the set-up, maintenance and rigorous evaluation of peer-led theatre-in-education programs which focus on sexuality has the potential to normalize safer sexual practices and improve population health, for this generation and generations to come.

HIV/AIDS continues to challenge prevention, care and treatment efforts and presents an increasingly urgent threat to population health. In the context of prevention, this fatal sexually transmitted infection (STI) underscores the importance of providing youth (the fastest growing risk group) with adequate information, motivation, behavioural skills, and access to resources that support the achievement and maintenance of sexual health across the lifespan. However, youth have proven to be a difficult audience to reach, particularly with educational programs that approach adolescent sexuality from an adult frame of reference, one that often stresses the negative aspects of human sexuality. Yet many of the tasks associated with a successful transition into adulthood and social integration depend upon the ability to initiate and maintain long-term, intimate sexual relationships. Using a case study methodology, this researchwhich was conducted in British Columbia, Canadainvestigated the potential effects of an innovative theatre-based, peer-led HIV prevention/sexuality education program on four groups of high school students and the peer leaders. The potential of theatre-in-education was examined to determine if this format would engage youth audiencesand keep them engagedand if it would have a positive impact on self-reported confidence in performing risk-reduction behaviours. The results from the four case studies strongly suggest that peer-led theatre presented in conjunction with peer-led discussion has the potential to not only engage youth between 12 and 17, but to also increase self-reported confidence in their ability reduce risk. In two of the cases, engagement was high and constant; while the two other cases demonstrated that the format has a strong potential for drawing more reluctant audiences into discussions over time. In all cases, confidence reportedly increased. Further to this, audiences reported gains in knowledge, improvements in behavioural and commun.

The AIDS epidemic in Sub-Saharan Africa continues to affect all facets of life throughout the subcontinent. Deaths related to AIDS have driven down the life expectancy rate of residents in Zambia, Kenya, and Uganda with far-reaching implications. This book details the current state of the AIDS epidemic in Africa and what is known about the behaviors that contribute to the transmission of the HIV infection. It lays out what research is needed and what is necessary to design more effective prevention programs.

Find out how best to develop HIV prevention programs that work Community Collaborative Partnerships: The Foundation for HIV Prevention Research Efforts is a must read for anyone interested in developing prevention programs within high-risk urban environments. Illustrative case studies, quality research, revealing personal stories, and helpful tables and figures provide valuable insights on innovative ways to partner in the prevention of the spread of HIV in youths. Leading experts in the field offer practical strategies to dissolve the distrust individuals in a community hold for researchers not a part of that community, fostering an effective collaboration to deal with problems. The book also describes ways to go beyond the United States’ model to reveal how to replicate the same dynamic relationships in international communities. Active participation with the community and families has been found to be vital for the success of HIV/AIDS prevention efforts. Community Collaborative Partnerships: The Foundation for HIV Prevention Research Efforts solves the common problem of forcing ineffective program models onto an unreceptive community. Program developers get the necessary tools to develop relationships and cultivate substantive input from those in the community to help ensure better program results. The research here is up-to-date, and the suggestions invaluable. Topics in Community Collaborative Partnerships: The Foundation for HIV Prevention Research Efforts include: the role of parenting in mental health and HIV risk research findings about frequency of sexual intercourse among adolescents racial socialization and family role in HIV knowledge family influences on exposure to situations of sexual possibility preadolescent risk behavior influence on parental monitoring strategies for collaboration between community and academic HIV prevention researchers involving urban parents as collaborators in HIV prevention research motivatorsand barriersto participation of minority families in a prevention program transferring a university-led HIV prevention program to the community Trinidad and Tobago HIV/AIDS prevention using a family-based program and much more! Community Collaborative Partnerships: The Foundation for HIV Prevention Research Efforts is valuable reading for researchers, program developers, community-based organizations, public policy/advocacy organizations, community organizers, educators, and students in the fields of social work, public health, public administration, and community medicine.