Custody planning among parents living with HIV or AIDS (PLHAs) can buffer the negative impact of parental death. The formal and informal custody plans for 594 children by 253 PLHAs and the relationships among custody plans, parental health, and psychosocial status were examined. About one-half of the parents had no formal custody plan. Parents…

Although the term venereal disease has been synonymous with gonorrhea and syphilis, the Center for Disease Control now states that the number of new cases of herpes simplex, trichomoniasis, and candidiasis is rapidly approaching the number of cases of syphilis and gonorrhea. (MM)

Reviews recent evidence regarding increases in sexual activity and decreases in age of first sexual experience among Nigerian youth. Presents nine goals of sex education instruction and identifies problems in implementing sex education in the Nigerian schools. (JDH)

Adolescent male prostitutes have variable backgrounds; blend of different psychological, behavioral, social, and economic factors. Study of these factors forms basis for understanding potential risks they may be exposed to, including sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Reported high incidence…

The study discussed in this article addressed the relationship of social support to the maintenance of long-term safer sex practices of 360 HIV-positive adults recruited from outpatient medical facilities. Medical professionals, friends, and siblings were reported the most frequent sources for assistance, whereas regular sexual partners, medical…

One-quarter of the 3 million new cases of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) each year occur in teenagers. Teens are at high risk because of biological, age, and behavioral factors. Education is the best weapon against STDs. As their children's first sex educators, parents must make every effort to promote STD education at home and school. (SM)

A discussion at the Third International Conference on AIDS on ways to cross the cultural barriers that have prevented many black and Hispanic people from learning about the disease is described. (MLW)

Presents data on the effect of peer education in promoting healthy behaviors, particularly related to HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, discussing how high-risk behavior decreases life chances, how peer education reduces high-risk behaviors, how teens find peer educators more credible than adult educators, how peer education is a…

The most apparent roadblock to reaching the college-age population is the widespread belief that AIDS is a homosexual disease. College students don't know how to translate what they learn about AIDS into the way they live. Counseling is advocated. (MLW)

The International Planned Parenthood Federation meeting report places priority on the development of sex education programs in Latin America. While regional and national circumstances clearly differ, it was felt that the steps described provide valuable guidelines on how a sex education program can be evolved while utilizing formal and non-formal…

Neither sexuality education nor abstinence programs have reduced adolescent pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease. The article presents recent data, explains why prevention does not work, and describes crucial factors that school and community prevention programs fail to incorporate (adult-teen intercourse, teen-teen intercourse, adult…

This document reports on the threat of HIV/AIDS to young people in the United States and proposes ways in which the Federal government could further address the needs of adolescents. Analysis of data gathered from young people affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic and from professionals engaged in HIV research, prevention, and care revealed several…

Many adolescent health problems are linked with educational performance, family relationships, poverty, and the general lifestyles that adolescents experience in their communities. Although serious, chronic medical and psychiatric disorders affect about 6 percent of the adolescent population, many more adolescents are at risk for death and for…

Consists of two articles on the topics of (1) sexually transmitted diseases and (2) acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Yarber discusses how these topics should be taught to young people, with emphasis on health education as opposed to morality. Newschwander states the facts related to AIDS, including risks of enrolling infected students.…

Presents the results of a content evaluation of the abstinence-based sexuality education curriculum, "Sex Respect," focusing on the curriculum's message and presentation. Results indicate Sex Respect omits basic content and includes misinformation, especially in the areas of human sexual response and reproductive health, and needs revision.…