How can we further educate young people in order to prevent diseases like AIDS?

Question

Yahoo! UK & Ireland Answers team note: This is the real Enrique Iglesias asking about how we can help the future generation live in a safer world, free from diseases.

Answer 1

The way to prevent AIDS is to deconstruct the definition. In the Canada about 30 different diseases in combination with a positive HIV antibody test are classified as AIDS. In the United States, since 1993, the Canadian definition has been augmented with people who have no disease, only a positive HIV test and low CD4 immune cell counts. These people are then put on AIDS drugs which can generate the symptoms of real AIDS.
In Africa, by contrast, the WHO's Bangui definition does not require a positive HIV test and AIDS can be diagnosed based on the presence of fever, cough, diarrhea, weight loss or other common symptoms. In other words, AIDS in Africa is nothing more than malnutrition, TB, malaria etc.
By rejecting this false definition AIDS no longer exists and any underlying specific health problems can be addressed.

Answer 2

You'd think people would catch on that all the advertising about protection and safe sex is not working. Statistics show that more people are being infected with AIDS and other STD's. Yet, we keep going down the same road and falling into the same pit. No one dares to take another road.

How to live in a safer world? There's only one way I know and that's through abstinence until marriage. Most people will scoff at this because we're such a sexualized society. But it's 100% effective in preventing pregnancy and STD's. Some experts say the dramatic drop in HIV/AIDS infections in Uganda is proof that abstinence from sex is the best way to combat the deadly disease, especially in the world's hardest-hit area, sub-Saharan Africa. Infections in the East African country, which once had the highest rate in the world, have dropped from 30 percent of the population in the early 1990s to around 10 percent today. If Enrique Iglesias is really concerned about preventing diseases, he'll start looking into programs that take a holistic approach to sexuality and examine themes such as love, intimacy and commitment. In fact, he might want to read Pope John Paul II's book "Love and Responsibility"

Answer 3

We are sadly encountering much opposition in the fight for improving education on AIDS. These come from different factors, but pretty much all amount to the same thing: In some cases, people simply don't understand, or don't want to understand how the deisease is transmitted. Some indeed, equate AIDS with groups of the population they feel disgusted by or feel remote from because of religious conviction or need to conform with a social norm. Those people, for instance may feel that they are immune from the disease because they no not partake in practices which they feel are the only way to catch the disease. The same way, in some part of the world, some believe that their religion or some other ritual practice will effectively make them immune from the disease. On the other hand, the government of some countries still refuse to publish accurate figures about AIDS contamination either because of misplaced national pride or because they think that refusing to give statistics will promote a more virtuous image of their nation.
In the West, a very common superstition is that if your sexual partner looks either healthy or attractive enough, then they can't possibly be contaminated. Some also still equate the disease with sexual promisquity and believe that a faithful partner or for that matter they themselves could not possibly contract the disease. Other, still, believe that the disease can only possibly be passed on to gays or drug addicts and that it is then largely self inflicted....
In other words, the main opposition to information is prejudice and superstition and, as we have seen time and again, fighting against these two effectively is almost impossible...
Still, Information campaigns, where they are allowed, are of primordial importance. Once given the correct information, the most hardened sceptic will understand the seriousness of the disease after seeing their first victim.

Answer 4

Sometimes it makes me wonder. Being 21 im probably at the age where we are expected to be stupid and not use condoms. growing up my older friends would make it sound like a crime not to use one so i always wonder how others can take such a gamble on their life. I think the morning after pill and the Pill in general havnt helped. Maybe the governments could help out by at least reducing the pleasure tax on condoms so they are not so expendsive. i know we can get them for free but they are usually low quality and break easy not to mention that no one wants to go into a clinic even if they knew where it was. Education wise i dont even remember learning about sexual issues in school so im sure more could be done there. Its ok to say that schools shouldnt be left responsible but many parents are useless at least at school it could become compulsory and then IF parents do teach their kids also its double the lesson. I think alot of it comes down to family morals also.
Adverts have been mentioned and considering the amount of time kids give TV i think its an idea.
Hopefully just by reading this from Enrique and the many messages and warnings wrote at least 1 person will listen and take care in the future.

Answer 5

My personal opinion would be to educate at a very early age...Id say third or fourth grade before children reach adolescence and teach them about their bodies and the way the reproductive system works.

Now when I say educate, I mean real pictures, diagragms, and perhaps even non-pornographic scientific videos that explained to great detail all about the reproductive system, the impact of mass overpopulation (which is an issue that is also at hands), and STD's such as AIDS. Show them what can happen and how to protect from such things through abstinence but mainly focusing on the use of condoms...and perhaps making more pleasurable and effective condoms. Because lets face facts, teenagers want to engage in intercourse. People find sex pleasurable, and will do it when they can.

Perhaps through early explanation and teaching these children(who are still young enough to think the opposite sex has "cooties") will be educated to understand and hopefully make better decisions when their bodies are developed enough to do so.

All we can do is educate, once people know its up to them. But teaching young is a guarantee that people will always know what is what when it comes to the human reproductive system.

Answer 6

Lets be honest, the rates of Sexually Transmitted Diseases has gone through the roof in the last 15 years, isn't it one in ten young people have Chlamydia now? It's not just AIDS we have to worry about any more. I also think that there are too few genuine role models for youngsters today, Those "It Girl" types who prance around making sex tapes, changing partners every five minutes and dressing in more and more overtly sexual ways give youngsters the impression that it is cool to be sexually active. There was a 14 year old girl on YA recently who was boasting about not being a virgin, how is that acceptable? Unfortunately, staying a virgin is seen as uncool and nerdy, I genuinely feel it's a tragedy and I am terrified that my 9 year old daughter will feel pressurised into doing things way before she is emotionally ready.

Answer 7

Aids is a universal issue, that much we understand. Some how I feel that it's the adults that need to be educated more. If the focus of sex/aids education were to be directed toward parents/teachers, kids would NOT take the issue lightly.

This is my opinion. Notice that the countries with the highest Aids numbers are countries that have problems discussing sex openly, or it is a taboo subject. It is a topic which is forbidden in these countries. Where I come from it's not a dinner table topic.

This disease doesn't only effect youngsters. The majority of adults who are aware of the dangers of unprotected / promiscuous sex, are also the culprits of the deadly dreaded disease. We cannot help the future generation if the present carriers are dying. Teach the teachers of today, so we can HAVE a nation of tomorrow.(by teachers, I do mean every adult, no matter what social standing you have in society. Aids does not choose to get you, you choose to get Aids)

Answer 8

You asked how we can further educate young people in order to prevent diseases like Aids. All I can say is ...one thing we can do do educate young people is to stop making videos that it's cool to make out with people you just met at a club which we know will probably end up in a one night stand. Stop, showing that it's cool to be a player, stop making songs about sex(that doesn't even make sense). As an artist you should understand that Music and Videos have a big influence on young kids now a days then why don't we start there.

Answer 9

No matter what the people of the world say about us bringing up this topic we just have to grin and bear it and get the message out there. Tell as many people as you can get in to all the chat rooms get the message to all the young kids at the schools. AIDS awareness is a big thing and the sooner the ignorant people see that it is not anything to be ashamed of the better. Not everyone gets it intentionally although there are some out there who have it that see it as a personal vendetta against them and they begin to hate the rest of the world and don't care who they hurt in the process. It is here and there is nothing we can do to cure it at the moment (although the fantastic scientists are doing their best) The only thing that we can do is to teach the younger generation and make them AIDS aware and give as much support to those who are suffering be it with the disease themselves or know of someone who has it. Come on world lets be proactive with this fight and stand up for the innocent.

Answer 10

This is really a hard one because the young people now aren't really realizing what they are getting into by not protecting themselves. They really still think that they can tell if someone is sick by how they look. I know that in Jacksonville>fl they have the highest rate of teen AIDS cases. Yet I hear all the stories from the young girls that I watched(Paid Parent caregiver) they would tell me about the guys (men) they would do and how friends would have AIDS and know it and sleep around. 13-18 yr. old girls. Most of they here get it from older men that deal with prostitute's and have had prison sex and drug users. Then they have Children that are born with it which make the Aids population even greater before some even have a chance to have sex. So when you come up with the answer, PLEASE write me back. Parents have got to keep a closer eye on the children too. Most children are caring for themselves. Teaching self love and respect and preservation may be a start. No one has morals any more.
love yourself
GOD BLESS

Answer 11

More support and educational programes at schools and colledges are needed to provide advice, and the younger generation should take it more seriously i don't think that some do until it's too late this is a world wide problem and we have lost many great actors pop performemers, over this disease we should be now fighting for a cure. No one is safe from this disease and it's not right for someone who has this disesase to pass it to anyone elce. Ignorance does not pay. Thankyou Enrique for putting this question on yahoo answers if you are the real one Email me to tell me what you thought of my answer as far as im concerned my ten point's could go to a cure for aids rather than go to me