 |
The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
|
The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Rose Zambezi, MA, Family Health International, YouthNet/CARE, 2101 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 700, Arlington, VA 22201, 703-516-9779, rzambezi@fhi.org
Zambian youth are sexually active by their mid-teens, and face enormous risk from unwanted pregnancy as well as HIV/AIDS. To develop a program that addresses the needs of young people, CARE conducted a participatory appraisal of adolescent sexual and reproductive health behavior in 14 peri-urban townships among 1000 youths aged 14 to 19. Sexual activity begins young, at 14 for boys and as early as 9 for girls. Most youth depend on unreliable sources of information and they do not feel comfortable discussing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) with adults. The “learning by doing” nature of the participatory methodology helped the study team seek more appropriate ways to address youth SRH needs. Public sector providers established youth friendly corners at health facilities, where young people provide information to their peers with trained providers available as back-up. Media activities honed their messages based on the research findings. Peer counselors were accepted by parents and community members and encouraged to reach their peers with SRH information through channels such as drama, role play and one to one communication. A project evaluation confirmed attitude changes among providers, and increased numbers of young people utilizing clinics for information, antenatal care, and condom source. Trained peers negotiated time with head masters to share information with younger pupils, a positive change from what had been an unresolved debate about sex education in schools. Involving community in the design, implementation and monitoring of project activities, as well as in problem analysis and resource mobilization, contributed to project success.
Learning Objectives:
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.