What evidence exists that school-based HIV/AIDS prevention education works?
A review by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of 23 school-based programs found that some, but not all, were effective in reducing sexual risk behaviors among school-age youth. Effective programs produced one or more of the following: • delayed initiation of sexual intercourse • reduced frequency of intercourse • reduced number of sexual partners, or • increased use of condoms or other contraceptives. • No programs produced an increase in sexual activity among students. Programs that were effective shared the following characteristics: Programs that were ineffective covered a broader array of topics and were less focused on specific risk behaviors for HIV/STD infection and unintended pregnancy. Ineffective programs did not help students apply information and skills to a clear set of values and norms for avoiding unwanted or unprotected sexual intercourse. Source: “School-Based Programs to Reduce Sexual Risk Behaviors: A Review of Effectiveness,” Public Health Reports
