International Adolescent Health Report (Assessment)

Education has a very important role in HIV prevention. According to the statistics of the Global Campaign for Education, the education prevents 700,000 new cases of HIV annualy (HIV Interventions for Young People in the Education Sector, p. 2). It is very important to reach drug injectors at the street and at the places they congregate to maximize the chances of HIV prevention. Former or current users are used as peer educators to help people risky to HIV infection (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 2004, p14). Trained peer educators who are themselves former or current drug users and sex workers are able to provide gender, age and culturally appropriate risk-reduction information to the peers (DiClemente R & Wingood G 2000, p. 377).

Using current drug-users as peer educators has the advantage of them knowing the language of drug users and their needs. The major advantages are increasing trust and credibility and having an equal level of communication. More than that, it may help the outreach workers themselves by giving them knowledge and skills and allowing them to have the important role in the program (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 2004, p. 31).It should be taken into account that current users may not be reliable. More than that, it may send a mixed message to some people when a current drug user is used as a model to give information about getting off drugs and preventing disease transmission (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 2004, p. 32). In fact, such peer educators need the help themselves wanting to help to stop HIV. HIV positive youth also may be trained as peer educators. Peer educators work with adolescents who are at risk of HIV infection. It may be difficult to retain young peer educators from at-risk populations.

According to 2009 statistics, 3.2 million young women and 1.7 million young men aged 15-24 years were estimated to live with HIV (UNAIDS 2011, p17). Regional estimates indicates that HIV prevalence among young people in sub-Saharian Africa remains much higher than in the rest of the world.

There is a wide range of risks and vulnerability of HIV among young people. There are certain differences between risk and vulnerability. Risk is connected with behaviors (things which people may control such as using condoms) or situations (things which are impossible to control such as forced sex) in which there is a possibility to be infected with HIV (Kirby D, Laris B & Rolleri L 2006, p. 209). Risk is not connected with the factors described you as a person it refers to actions you are engaged in. Vulnerability is more subjective concept. The concept of vulnerability is connected with the likelihood of being exposed to a situation or behavior in which there is a risk of HIV transmission (Marshall B, Wood E & Shoveller J, 2011).

People who live in developing countries such as Africa, Asia and Southern and Central America are more vulnerable to HIV infection due to their culture, religion and socio-economic factors (Rivers K & Aggleton P 2011, p. 4). Poverty forces the children of South Africa to have sex for money or goods. More than that, having a lot of sexual partners is considered to be popular and important among young men in Africa (Rivers K & Aggleton P 2011, p. 6). School programs avoid the sexual education and the teaching young people about condoms is prohibited in some countries of Africa (Rivers K & Aggleton P 2011, p. 13). Such poor education and poverty make Africans vulnerable to HIV infection.

The suicide is one more reason of deaths among young people. Mental health problems constitute a clinical risk factor for suicide in both developed and developing countries. There is a wide range of protective factors for mental health. Some major factors include: having a family and friends, having at least one person to bond with, beliefs and spirituality, good physical and mental health, having personal abilities to overcome difficult situations, and the possibility to refer to special services which provide special mental help (Joseph, Abraham, Muliyil & Jacob, 2003).

Although, the suicide is the major cause of mortality in young people, there are a lot of countries where are not special mental services. Most governments are not able to address the problem of suicide because of sufficient mental services and without coordinated national plans. There is a heavy reliance on non-governmental organizations (NGO) consisting of volunteers. The primary goal of such volunteers is to provide emotional support to those people who have suicidal thoughts through counseling and befriending (Vijayakumar L, Pirkis J, & Whiteford H 2005, p. 122).

One of such examples is Sneha, an NGO in India. Sneha collaborates with another NGO and social organizations to raise awareness about suicide prevention. Sneha has worked with alcohol problems which caused the suicide. Sneha is involved in health education to put on street plays in urban slums convincing people to seek help in circumstances of emotional distress and in the presence of suicidal thoughts. More than that, Sneha collaborates with parents, community organizations and media organizations (Vijayakumar L, Pirkis J, & Whiteford H 2005, p123). Although suicide prevention programs are not national, their effectiveness may be maximized if they are viewed as an integral, complementary part of the kind of coordinated national approach (Vijayakumar L, Pirkis J, & Whiteford H 2005, p. 123).

The health sector plays a vital role in HIV prevention, risk reduction, care and treatment of young people. Adolescent/youth friendly services should be available, equitable and accessible, so that young people can refer to them in every case they need help. Such services should provide a high-qualified medical help and professional staff should guarantee young people privacy and confidentiality (United Nations Population Fund, 2003). More than that, they should be effective and appropriate; there should be the necessary equipment, supplies and the professional personnel which can provide the necessary treatment, care and support for young people (United Nations Population Fund 2004, p. 2).

The evidence of the effectiveness of such services includes the following interventions: providing information and counseling, condoms, harm reduction for those who inject drugs, diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections, male circumcision, HIV testing and counseling, treatment care and support services (United Nations Population Fund 2004, p. 3). Despite the wide range of interventions of health services, not so many young people use their help. There are some factors which may increase young people’s use of health services. The clinic staff should be highly-qualified medical workers which are trained to work with young people. Certain changes are necessary to make young people refer to these services (United Nations Population Fund 2004, p. 3). Young people should be confident that these health services help them.

Reference List

1. DiClemente R & Wingood G 2000, ‘Expanding the Scope of HIV Prevention for Adolescents: Beyond Individual-level Interventions’, Journal of Adolescent Health, 26, pp. 377-378.
2. Joseph A, Abraham S, Muliyil J & Jacob K 2003, ‘Evaluation of Suicide Rates in Rural India Using Verbal Autopsies, 1994-9’.
3. Kirby D, Laris B & Rolleri L 2007, ‘Sex and HIV Education Programs: Their Impact on Sexual Behaviors of Young People throughout the World’, Journal of Adolscent Health, 40, pp. 206-217.
4. Marshall B, Wood E & Shoveller J 2011, ‘Pathways to HIV Risk and Vulnerability among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered Methamphetamine Users’, Medscape News, Web.
5. Rivers K & Aggleton P 2011, Adolsecent Sexuality, Gender and the HIV Epidemic, HIV and Development Programme, University of London, London.
6. UNAIDS 2011, Securing the Future Today. Synthesis of Strategic Information on HIV and Young.
7. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 2004, HIV Prevention among Young Injecting Drug Users, New York.
8. United Nations Population Fund 2004, HIV Interventions in the Health Sector for Young People. Inter-Agecy Task Team on HIV and Young People. Guidance Brief. United Nations Population Fund 2003, Overview of HIV Interventions on Young People. Inter-Agecy Task Team on HIV and Young People. Guidance Brief.
9. Vijayakumar L, Pirkis J, & Whiteford H 2005, ‘Suicide in Developing Countries’, Crisis, vol. 26, pp. 120-124.