Social Support for HIV Prevention and Sexual Health Promotion
8.4 Social Support for HIV Prevention and Sexual Health Promotion
This section of the report examines the actions taken by the school and public health systems to generate social support for students to prevent HIV and STD and to promote sexual health. Using the school as a key site in the community, along with more community-based activities such as public awareness programs, education and health systems can take several actions to generate such support.
The effective roles the two systems can play in creating social support for HIV/STD sexual health education and services are discussed in previous research. These criteria are:
1.Public health personnel can
educate and assist parents and students in identifying and accessing their health needs
and concerns (World Health Organization, 1997; American Association for Counseling &
Development et al, 1990; Martin et al, 1996; Shea, 1991).
2.Information about HIV, STD and sexual health sent on a regular basis
to parents can encourage parents to initiate discussions about sexuality with their
children. This information can discuss ways in which parents can talk with their children
about sexuality and can describe activities that are taking place at school (Center for
Population Options, nd; World Health Organization, 1997; Canadian Association for School
Health, 1996b).
3.Ministry and agency annual reports and news releases each year can
raise and encourage public support for HIV/sexuality programs or sexual health issues
(World Health Organization, 1997).
4.School and public health personnel can be part of community and
provincial/territorial networks on HIV, STD, sexuality and youth (Centers for Disease
Control, nd; Dorman & Foulk, 1987; Shea, 1991).
5.Ministry and local agency media advertising or social marketing can
address youth-related HIV/AIDS, STD and sexual health on a regular basis to raise
awareness and support for sexuality programs and services (Health Communication Unit,
1996).
6.Media and community awareness activities and programs are based on
marketing research about the nature of the adolescent audience (Mintz, 1989; Campbell
& Campbell, 1990; Health Canada, 1991).
7.Consultations with AIDS, sexuality and youth organizations and
professionals can increase the effectiveness of these media/awareness activities and
programs (McCallum, 1993; Canadian Public Health Association, 1993).
8.Media and community awareness activities and programs that are
coordinated with school programs can be effective in reaching youth audiences (Health
Communications Unit, 1996; McCallum, 1993).
9.Media and community awareness activities and programs that are
coordinated with the timely and coordinated delivery of public health information and
counseling series are more effective (Mintz, 1989; Mangham, 1989).
10.Messages to youth and parents encouraging them to access and
advocate for adolescent health services leads to better access and more use of those
services (Wallack & Dorman, 1996; Holder & Treno, 1997; Jernigan & Wright,
1996; McKnight, 1994; Martin et al, 1996; Canadian Public Health Association, 1993).
11.Other messages can encourage the business community to become
involved in prevention and promotion. In addition, specific campaigns that involve
specific businesses such as pharmacists are also effective. Other messages can be aimed at
local service clubs and voluntary organizations (Paluck et al, 1994).
12.Special events such as AIDS Awareness Week can be promoted by and coordinated with schools to extend their reach and effectiveness (Bernstein & Roaman, 1988; Dommeyer et al, 1989).
Again for the convenience of the reader, we have reproduced the contents overview of this section of the report.
Planned, Ongoing Awareness Activities
This section of the report describes the study results relating to regular, planned awareness activities that are undertaken by the health and education systems relative to sexual health promotion and prevention of HIV and STD.
Summary of Results Related to Ongoing Awareness Activities
This section begins with a brief look at the principal’s awareness of pregnancy and HIV disclosures. Close to one-half of the school principals reporting that they were aware of students who are either pregnant or who are young parents. 65% said they were aware of HIV disclosures by students or staff.
A similar proportion (47.4%) of school principals reported that the public health nurses regularly tried to help students and staff identify the health concerns of students.
As well, about four out of ten school principals, health ministries and public health units reported that they communicated regularly with parents to inform them of adolescent sexual health issues. No education ministries and very few school districts reported that they sent such information to parents on a regular basis. A similar proportion of school principals said that they regularly explained the HIV/sexuality education program to the parents advisory committees in their schools.
Most health ministries and public health units reported that they referred to HIV or sexuality in their annual reports and in news releases in the last year. Less than 20% of education ministries and school districts reported that they had done so.
Less than one-quarter of health ministries and about two-thirds of public health units said that they support their staff in working with HIV and sexual health coalitions. About one-quarter of education ministries, about one-third of school districts and about one-tenth of school principals said that they supported their staff in working with such coalitions.