NPR program examines HIV/AIDS education in U.S.

May 20 2008

NPR's "Weekend Edition Sunday" examined issues surrounding HIV/AIDS education in the U.S. The segment included a discussion with Adam Tenor -- executive director of Metro TeenAIDS, a not-for-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., that runs education programs in city schools -- and with John Jemmott, a specialist in health psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.

Tenor said that about 50% to 60% of young students in Metro TeenAIDS' education classes say they know someone living with HIV. The city is "dealing with a very quiet, very deadly epidemic," he said, adding that "as long as we continue to have such high inequality in the district, ... I think we'll continue to see HIV flourish."

Jemmott -- who has helped to develop curricula in HIV/AIDS education classes nationwide, including those used by Metro TeenAIDS -- said the "best strategy" to prevent HIV/AIDS is to "practice abstinence and to delay sexual involvement as much as possible." The second method "would be to use condoms consistently," and the third is to have as "few sexual partners as possible if you do have sex," he said.

Jemmott also said that HIV/AIDS education is "making a difference" on a national level, adding that the "trends have all been in the right direction in terms of the percentage of young people who are engaging in sexual activity and then also increases in condom use that have occurred over time" (Hansen, "Weekend Edition," NPR, 5/18).