Erin M. Brown, B.S.W.
Beth N. Collison, B.S.W.
Nancy L. Rogers-Currie, B.S.W., R.S.W.
What do you know about HIV/AIDS? What do you think we should be
doing? Are we doing enough? These are some of the questions that
we had in mind when we started this project. We invited youth and
youth workers to tell us what was on their minds about HIV/AIDS.
Youth and youth workers came up with a few common themes, mainly
to do with what is, what isn't, and what should be happening around
the world with HIV/AIDS issues.
In this section, when we say "youth told us," "youth
said," or "youth felt," we are talking about the
diverse group of youth and youth workers who spoke with us for this
study. Also, you will notice quotes in text boxes. These are the
exact words of youth and youth workers who talked with us.
We hope that you find something in here that is interesting or
new to you and that after reading this you will have your own ideas
to add.
This study was made possible by UNA-Canada (http://www.unac.org)
and Carleton University School of Social Work.
Many thanks are given to the youth, youth allies, and youth workers
who shared their opinions and ideas, which have added so much to
this report.
- HIV Infected - Someone who has been diagnosed with HIV.
- HIV Affected - Someone who is not infected with HIV, but who
feels her/his life is in some way touched by HIV. For example,
a person's mother / sister / friend / partner has been diagnosed
with HIV.
- Anonymous HIV Testing - When people go for anonymous HIV testing,
they are not asked to give any information about themselves; this
includes their name, their address, and their health number. If
you test positive, the doctor will report to Health Canada that
someone has tested positive for HIV, but will not report your
name because s/he does not know it.
- Confidential HIV Testing - When people go for confidential HIV
testing, they give their personal information (name, address,
health number) to the person who does the test. If you test positive
for HIV, the doctor must (by law) contact your past and current
sexual partners and tell them that someone they had sex with has
tested positive. The doctor will also contact Health Canada, give
your name, and tell them that you have tested positive for HIV.
- Youth - The Government of Canada defines "youth" as
people between the ages of 15 and 29. The youth who talked to
us were between the ages of 19 and 24.
- Youth Allies - Our definition of a "youth ally" is
someone who is over the age of 24 and who either works with or
advocates for (assists and supports) youth.
 |
We've heard and we understand that many youth
are bored and tired of hearing the same things about HIV/AIDS
and are looking for creative ways to learn and take action on
HIV/AIDS issues. |
| |
|
|
We've heard and we understand that many youth
are confused about the HIV/AIDS information given to them. |
| |
|
|
We've heard and we understand that some educators
and parents/caregivers are looking for new ways to educate youth
about HIV/AIDS. |
| |
|
HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus.
HIV is carried through the following bodily fluids: blood, semen (cum),
and vaginal fluids (including menstrual blood and breast milk). These
are the only bodily fluids that have enough HIV in them to infect
someone. You can become infected with HIV if one of these four bodily
fluids, from someone with HIV, gets into your body and finds a way
to get into your bloodstream.
Some of the most common ways that you can get HIV are: through
unprotected sex (oral, anal, and vaginal contact without using new
latex condoms, dental dams or gloves); sharing sex toys that haven’t
been thoroughly washed; sharing needles (studies have shown that
used or dirty needles must be cleaned with a bleach if they are
going to be shared safely); from mother to baby while giving birth
or through breast milk; or from blood transfusions before 1985 (in
Canada).
HIV attacks your immune system – the part of you that fights
off infection – by damaging your T-helper cells (white blood
cells that help fight infection).
AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. When you have
HIV, because of damage to your immune system, you begin to experience
health problems. At first these may be small problems, but over
time the illnesses become more serious. The amount of time that
it takes HIV to begin to affect a person’s health varies widely
from person to person. When you are diagnosed with one of the serious
illnesses or cancers that are called “AIDS-defining,”
you are considered to have AIDS.
We have just barely covered the basics of HIV and AIDS. To get
a better picture and more information about HIV/AIDS, you can check
out these websites:
MTV in association with UNAIDS, the Kaiser Foundation, and the
World Bank
http://www.staying-alive.org
>>> (This is an amazing website, with tons of definitions,
facts, figures, and interesting information – and it is designed
for youth!)
AIDS Committee of Toronto
http://www.actoronto.org/actweb/brochures.nsf
Health Canada
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/diseases/aids.html
Health Canada – The Journey Begins
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hppb/hiv_aids/youth/journey/aids.html
There are people with HIV/AIDS living in every country in
the world. As of December 2001, there were 40 million people
worldwide living with HIV/AIDS. Everyday, about 14,000 people
become infected with HIV. Over 7000 of these newly diagnosed
people are youth aged 15 to 24 years. In some countries, like
Botswana, 44 to 45% of people aged 20 to 29 are HIV positive.
In Myanmar, 40 to 60% of some populations are infected with
HIV. Since 1981, HIV is believed to have infected 60 million
people in the world.
As of December 31, 2000, a total of 48,014 positive HIV tests
had been reported to Health Canada. About 29% of these tests
were from people between the ages of 15 to 29. These numbers
only count the people who were tested; there could be many more
people with HIV who have not been tested and do not know that
they are infected.
quote
The number of people around the world who are becoming infected,
who are infected, and who are dying or have already died from
HIV/AIDS is impacting the well-being of communities. In communities
that are not wealthy, there are not enough resources for citizens:
for example, people cannot afford medications, there is not
enough health care or medical facilities, and there may be little
support for people who are infected or affected. In the most
affected communities (in sub-Saharan Africa):
quote
- Children cannot get an education because their teachers are dying and some children leave school to take care of their family members who are sick. Some young women and girls also feel vulnerable at school.
- Faith congregations are disappearing because members are dying.
- There is not enough food because farmers are sick with and dying from HIV/AIDS and they cannot look after their crops.
- People cannot work because they are sick and must cover the costs of health care, which makes entire families poorer.
- Community leaders and politicians are HIV infected and are dying.
For these reasons and others, the United
Nations has called the HIV/AIDS situation around the world a “global
HIV/AIDS crisis.” In June 2001, the United Nations General Assembly
Special Session on HIV/AIDS said that its first priority is to “ensure
that people everywhere – particularly the young – know what
to do to avoid infection.”
Check out these websites for more information:
Canadian AIDS Society – Fact Sheet: Youth and HIV/AIDS
http://www.cdnaids.ca/cdnaids/FactSheets.nsf
Health Canada – HIV/AIDS Epi Update
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hpb/lcdc/bah/epi/youth_e.html
United Nation – UNAIDS
http://www.unaids.org
United Nations – UNAIDS, World AIDS Day (December 1st)
http://www.unaids.org/worldaidsday/2001
United Nations Department of Public Information
http://www.un.org/ga/aids
There are many studies that talk about youth and HIV/AIDS,
but have not really asked youth directly for their ideas. We wanted
to hear directly from youth, who we consider to be experts on youth
issues.
What youth told us about:
| 1. Prevention / Education / Awareness Strategies |
|
School-Based HIV/AIDS Education |
quote
Youth said they learned about HIV/AIDS during
sexual education classes, physical education classes or
science classes (Biology) and that this usually happened
once during the school year. Youth felt that the main
messages given to them by their teachers were “DON’T”
messages, the biggest one being “DON’T HAVE
SEX!” They also found that HIV/AIDS was taught as
a separate topic from everything else about their health
and sexuality (STIs – sexually transmitted infections,
healthy relationships, peer pressure, and so on).
|
Parents and Caregivers |
Some youth said that their parents/caregivers talked to them about HIV/AIDS and some said that their parents/caregivers did not. Messages from parents/caregivers were sometimes different from those delivered by teachers. Youth said that they often felt confused about which information to believe.
| Information From Community Sources |
quote
Youth said that they received HIV/AIDS information from a number of places in their communities. The one they ta lked about most was community service advertising on public transit (the bus). These ads told youth where they could get more information about HIV testing options, healthy sexuality, and local community services. They also talked about awareness campaigns such as World AIDS Day (every year on December 1st) and health fairs at universities, malls, and community centres. These campaigns gave youth information about HIV/AIDS, STIs, and healthy relationships, as well as safer sex tips and tools to protect themselves (latex condoms, dental dams, gloves). Youth also mentioned getting HIV/AIDS information from youth drop-in centres within their communities Youth also mentioned getting HIV/AIDS information from youth drop-in centres within their communities.
Planned Parenthood Federation of Canada
http://www.ppfc.ca/HIV
Canadian AIDS Society (CAS)
http://www.cdnaids.ca
World AIDS Day
http://worldaidsday.org
quote
|
Internet |
quote
Although some youth found the internet to be a good source
for HIV/AIDS information, other youth told us that not everyone
has access to a computer and the internet. They also pointed
out that not everyone would feel comfortable searching for
HIV/AIDS information in public spaces such as libraries and
schools. In addition, some youth did not find the internet
“user-friendly.” For instance, the information they were looking
for could be hard to find, web-pages were out of date or unavailable,
and the language was often unappealing (too scientific or
boring).
A number of youth mentioned the website http://www.sexualityandu.ca
that was advertised on local buses and bus stops.
|
Media |
quote
Some youth told us that their first
introduction to HIV/AIDS information was music, music videos,
and tape/CD jackets (lyrics and awareness messages). In fact,
some youth told us that this source of information had more
influence on them than anything they had heard from family or
teachers.
|
Religious Instutitions |
Youth thought religious institutions (churches,
temples, mosques) and spiritual leaders (community elders) could
be more involved in responding to HIV/AIDS in their communities.
| 2. How Youth Felt About These Strategies |
Youth and youth allies
were very vocal with their concerns about the formal education system,
current government priorities and responses, and the many youth that
fall through the cracks of current approaches to HIV/AIDS.
|
Current HIV/AIDS Education Strategies Within the School System (Public, Private and Religious) Are Not Working! |
quote
Most of the HIV/AIDS prevention strategies
are "abstinence-based." These strategies teach
youth that not having sex is the only way to protect themselves
from HIV/AIDS. No other options are given. In reality,
many youth are having sex and want/need to know how to
protect themselves and their partners.
quote
Youth felt that school-based HIV/AIDS education focused
too much on people "dying" of HIV/AIDS. These "scare-tactic"
messages made them feel like they could not ask questions for fear
of being shamed. They felt they had gotten the message that "if
you have sex, you're going to die."
quote
Not all educators are giving the same information to youth.
Youth and youth allies think that this is because educators
themselves may not be well informed, may not be comfortable
with the subject of sexuality, and may not see how HIV/AIDS
relates to health in general. The result of this is that youth
often feel confused about the conflicting messages they may
receive from educators and parents/caregivers.
Youth felt that there is not enough time devoted to HIV/AIDS
prevention and awareness within the school curriculum. Youth
said that HIV/AIDS education may only happen once a year,
which they thought was too little to satisfy their sense of
personal protection knowledge.
Often HIV/AIDS education within schools does not talk about
HIV testing. Because of this, youth feel they have not been
well informed of their testing options. HIV testing is often
not encouraged within schools, resulting in youth feeling
that testing is not important or necessary in their lives.
The lack of discussion about testing also leaves youth feeling
scared about getting tested or talking about getting tested.
Youth expressed to us that they didn't know the difference
between confidential and anonymous testing or even where to
get tested in their own communities.
quote
quote
|
Government Priorities Do Not Support Youth and HIV/AIDS! |
quote
Youth felt that the federal government does not care enough
about HIV/AIDS. The reasons they thought the government does
not care are:
- There is no federal protocol for HIV/AIDS treatment for
youth.
- Most of the drug trials have been done with adult men;
this means that we don't have a good idea of how HIV/AIDS
drugs effect young bodies and minds.
- Not enough funds are given to create safe spaces in the community
for HIV+ and HIV affected youth.
- Youth also thought that there are not enough places to get HIV testing
that they would feel comfortable visiting.
- Some youth told us that they have not been tested yet because they
feel scared or intimidated by "clinical settings," like hospitals.
- Youth felt that certain populations of young people are particularly
left out of community services, including young women, Aboriginal youth,
youth living on the street (homeless youth), and youth not living in
bigger cities (youth who live in small rural areas where there may not
be hospitals or clinics).
|
Current School-based Strategies Leave Too Many Youth Out! |
Youth thought that a lot of people are missed
by HIV/AIDS education in schools. Youth who do not go to school
(street youth, youth in prison) miss out on all education that
happens in schools. Youth who do not take physical education
(where most HIV/AIDS education happens) are left out. Youth
whose first language is not English or French might have a hard
time understanding the vocabulary of HIV/AIDS.
Educators often only talk about heterosexual sex (sex between
men and women) when teaching about HIV/AIDS and sex education
in general. Youth said that gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered
(GLBT) youth would not learn how to protect themselves. By talking
only about heterosexual sex and relationships, GLBT youth may
also be taught to think that their relationships don't matter
and aren't considered "normal."
quote
Youth told us that youth with disabilities are
often left out of HIV/AIDS education. Part of this has to do
with the idea that people with disabilities do not have sex.
This is not true. People with cognitive, mental, and physical
disabilities have intimate relationships and they need to know
how to protect themselves during sex.
Youth also thought that not enough is taught about needle
use and HIV/AIDS. In schools, it seems like HIV/AIDS is mostly
talked about in relation to sex. People who use needles are
often described as "junkies" (illegal injection
drug users, who use drugs like heroin or cocaine). However,
some youth living with diabetes need to inject insulin to
stay healthy. Also, some youth might inject doctor-prescribed
steroids for medical conditions or inject steroids illegally.
Youth who are injecting any kind of drug need to know how
to use needles safely.
Some youth found the following website on "harm reduction"
helpful:
http://www.mylifeboat.com
quote
| 3. HIV/AIDS: Not Me, Not My Community, Not My Country |
All the youth who talked with us expressed a concern
about the stereotypes that exist for people living with HIV/AIDS.
Youth said that people in society seem to blame HIV/AIDS on
groups to which they do not belong. For instance, youth said
that they had heard family, friends, and the media make statements
and assumptions like the ones below:
quote
N
HIV/AIDS is only in Africa.
N
HIV/AIDS only happens in Aboriginal communities.
N
HIV/AIDS is a gay disease.
N
HIV/AIDS is a white person's problem.
N
Only junkies and prostitutes get HIV/AIDS.
N
Young people don't get HIV/AIDS.
Youth told us that HIV/AIDS seems to be treated differently
than other illnesses, such as cancer or diabetes. There
is a stigma attached to the people who are infected with
HIV. Because of this stigma, people are often blamed for
being infected with HIV and made to feel ashamed for having
HIV/AIDS. This stigma may prevent people from talking
about their illness and from getting support from family,
friends, and services. This stigma may also stop people
and communities from offering support. Stigma is not only
attached to HIV/AIDS. People who are part of a group that
is discriminated against (for example, women, youth, non-white,
poor, GLBT, etc.) are often blamed or made to feel ashamed
for being who they are. People living with HIV/AIDS who
are female, poor, non-white, etc., may experience a "double-stigma."
quote
International organizations, such as the United Nations,
agree that stigma is harmful. They have found that people
who experience stigma(s) have a higher risk of becoming
infected with HIV. For example, if you live in poverty
you are less likely to be able to afford HIV/AIDS treatment/medication,
or if you are a youth you may not feel comfortable going
to a programme for adults.
quote
Youth wanted to emphasize that HIV/AIDS can affect anyone,
anywhere. Because we all could be infected or affected
by HIV/AIDS, we need to think about how we can help prevent
HIV/AIDS and support people living with HIV/AIDS.
quote
Youth had some ideas about what they would like to see
and how they could get involved in HIV/AIDS strategies.
Here are some of the tools they suggested.
Youth would like to see MORE…
|
Sex-positive education in schools
that is not only based on "no sex,"
but also talks about how to have "safer
sex." Although youth understand that
abstinence is an option, they want to hear
about more options. Let's face it, many youth
have sex and need to know how to protect themselves
and their partners. |
quote
|
Information given to them about
how youth and their communities around the
world are affected by HIV/AIDS. They think
that this would help youth to see that HIV/AIDS
is not only a problem in Africa; it is a serious
issue around the world. |
quote
|
Youth teaching youth about HIV/AIDS.
Some youth call this "peer-to-peer education."
This kind of education could involve youth
who are infected or affected by HIV/AIDS sharing
their own experiences and stories. These stories
and experiences are often referred to as "testimonials." |
| |
|
|
Train-the-trainer programmes and opportunities
for people who work with youth. These programmes
provide the people responsible for educating youth
about HIV/AIDS (teachers, community workers, and
other people with leadership roles in their communities)
with up-to-date information and creative ways to
share this information. |
| |
|
|
Support for parents and caregivers
to learn how to communicate better about HIV/AIDS
with their children. Information needs to be more
accessible to parents with questions and concerns
about HIV/AIDS. Programmes should not only be located
in downtown cores of cities, but in suburbs and
smaller communities as well. |
| |
|
|
Diversity of experiences and lifestyles
included in HIV/AIDS education. In order for HIV/AIDS
education to be meaningful and important, youth
would like to see their own lives and choices reflected
in HIV/AIDS education. For instance, sex education
must include GLBT and heterosexual issues. |
| |
|
|
Creative and interactive ways of learning
about HIV/AIDS. Many youth are tired of being "talked
at" by educators who may not be comfortable
or open about sexuality and HIV/AIDS. Youth had
heard about and were interested in seeing theatre,
radio, and discussions dealing with the topic of
HIV/AIDS. |
quote
|
Community services for
youth, designed with the help of youth.
Some youth may not feel comfortable
getting involved with programmes designed
by adults. Many youth are looking for
more "youth-friendly" places
where they can get information about
HIV/AIDS, HIV and STI testing, support,
and counselling. There are some great
"youth-friendly" programmes
already out there, but more are needed
especially in smaller communities |
| |
|
|
Government encouragement, support,
and funding for all of the good work that individuals,
groups, and organizations are presently struggling
to create and sustain |
quote
Some examples of the good work that is happening and that youth would like to see more of include:
é Speakers
Bureaus and Peer-for-Peer Education: Some
community and non-profit agencies organize
individuals to give presentations on HIV/AIDS.
These speakers can be invited to present at
schools, prisons, community centres, police
stations, religious institutions, and in smaller
communities. This idea of arranging speakers
is called a "speakers bureau." Youth
interested in sharing their stories with other
youth can also become involved with a speakers
bureau. This type of information sharing (youth
speaking with other youth) is known as peer-for-peer
education. This can be an opportunity for
youth who are infected and affected to share
their stories and experiences with other youth.
This presents an opportunity for youth to
meet with people LIVING with HIV/AIDS.
quote
Positive Youth Outreach (Toronto)
http://www.positiveyouth.com
YouthCO (Vancouver)
http://www.youthco.org
quote
é Theatre:
Community and school-based theatre groups
that create and perform plays and skits about
real life issues. Plays about HIV/AIDS often
express situations that youth can identify
with and present different ways of handling
these experiences. Discussion and question
periods often follow these kinds of performances.
Some of these productions are created by youth
and involve youth actors. All the youth we
spoke with agreed that theatre is a great
way to learn.
Planned Parenthood Ottawa
http://www.planparenthoodottawa.on.ca/theatre.html
YMCA AIDS Control and Rehabilitation Programme
http://www.ymca.int/Publications/YMCAWorld/June2002/2_2000Kenya.htm
éMass
Media: Radio, music, and the internet
are all ways that HIV/AIDS information can
be delivered to youth. In Africa, radio
programmes have been very successful in
spreading information about HIV/AIDS to
youth. This strategy is becoming more popular
in Canada on independent and campus radio
stations. Music concerts and musicians have
been active in promoting awareness about
HIV/AIDS to youth through lyrics and benefit
concerts. There are a number of websites
dedicated to sharing information that youth
might find important; however, make sure
the websites you look up are up-to-date
in their HIV/AIDS information. Some websites
have message boards for youth to post questions
and share experiences.
MTV in association with UNAIDS, the Kaiser
Foundation, and the World Bank
http://www.staying-alive.org
quote
éReligious/Spiritual
Communities: Because of their influential
roles in people's lives, some youth
feel that it is important for churches,
mosques, temples, and spiritual organizations
to provide space for the discussion
of HIV/AIDS issues. Some religious and
spiritual communities are making HIV/AIDS
education a priority. For example, some
churches in sub-Saharan Africa are talking
openly about HIV/AIDS and working with
their communities around prevention
and support to people living with HIV/AIDS.
Catholics For A Free Choice
http://www.condoms4life.org
AIDS National Interfaith Network
http://www.thebody.com/anin/aninpage.html
é United
Nations and International Organizations:
The United Nations and other international
organizations have a commitment to preventing
the spread of HIV/AIDS and caring for people
infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. There are
too many projects and programmes to list,
but here are some websites for more details:
UNAIDS
http://www.unaids.org
UNAIDS - List of international organizations
http://www.unaids.org/links/activist.asp
UNICEF
http://www.unicef.org/programme/hiv/mainmenu.htm
The Canadian International Development
Agency (CIDA)
http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/aids.htm
é International
Solidarity: There was an expressed interest
by youth to connect with other youth around
the world. Youth thought that learning from
each other, sharing experiences, and supporting
each other would be a meaningful way to better
understand the global HIV/AIDS crisis. A global
youth understanding of HIV/AIDS would have
the potential to lead to youth and their communities
sharing effective strategies and ideas for
action.
quote
Youth Against AIDS
http://www.yaids.org
AIDS Quilt
http://www.aidsquilt.org
This is what youth
wanted us to know. We would like to leave
you with these final thoughts and ideas. We
know that you will have your own to add.
For Youth…
|
Find out as much as you
can about HIV/AIDS. |
| |
|
|
Keep asking questions. |
| |
|
|
Find a teacher who you
trust and tell her/him what you want
to be learning about HIV/AIDS in school.
If you do not think this person is listening,
tell someone else. Keep talking until
someone listens to you. You can also
try contacting an AIDS Service Organization
(ASO) and ask them to approach your
teacher. Do not get discouraged! |
| |
|
|
Increase your understanding
of communities and cultures around the
world. |
| |
|
|
Volunteer in your community
with agencies and organizations that
promote HIV/AIDS awareness, prevention,
and support. |
| |
|
|
If you do not like what
is out there, find out how to start
something new. |
| |
|
|
Be critical about what
you hear from your friends, your family,
your teachers, and the media. Find out
where they got their information. |
| |
|
| |
quote |
| |
|
|
Feel good
about who you are. |
| |
|
|
Youth are
experts on youth issues.
Trust yourself. |
|
|
| |
|
| For Parents… |
| |
|
|
Find out as much as you
can about HIV/AIDS. |
| |
|
|
You and your children
can learn a lot from each other. |
| |
|
|
Be available to talk to
your children about important issues
in their lives even if it makes you
feel uncomfortable. If you feel that
you can't, find someone who can talk
to your children. |
| |
|
|
Staying silent about sexuality
and HIV/AIDS will not protect your children |
| |
|
| |
quote |
| |
|
| For Service Providers… |
| |
|
|
Keep up the good work! |
| |
|
|
Be sure to involve youth
in all decisions about service planning
and delivery that affect youth. |
| |
|
|
Invite and encourage youth
to sit on your boards and committees |
| |
|
| For Federal and Provincial
Governments… |
| |
|
| |
quote |
| |
|
|
Make youth
a funding priority. |
| |
|
|
Continue to
hold HIV/AIDS as a funding
priority. |
| |
|
|
Include youth
in medical and social research
on HIV/AIDS. |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| As social workers, we
are concerned about the impact of HIV/AIDS
on our communities and are dedicated
to supporting and caring for people
infected and affected by HIV. The Canadian
Association of Social Workers, the International
Federation of Social Workers, and the
International Association of Schools
of Social Work, with the help of many
people from all over the world, have
created a "manifesto" calling
social workers and social work educators
to take action on HIV/AIDS.
To read the entire manifesto, see:
http://www.ifsw.org/Publications/4.13e.pub.html
|
| |
| Abstract
The purpose of this study was
to develop a report, for an
audience of youth, which examines
the impact of HIV/AIDS in communities.
A tool-kit for local action
was assembled out of data obtained
from discussion groups, individual
interviews with key informants,
and a literature review. This
study was initiated by the United
Nations Association in Canada
and conducted by three Master's
of Social Work students from
Carleton University (Ottawa,
Ontario).
HIV/AIDS is a global crisis
that has affected social, economic,
and cultural development in
communities around the world.
The United Nations has identified
youth as a potential source
of creative strategies for addressing
the HIV/AIDS crisis. Through
the use of discussion groups
and individual interviews, this
study sought out the opinions
of a sample of English-speaking
youth in Canada, between the
ages of 19 and 24, and youth
advocates and youth allies over
the age of 24 living in the
Ottawa area. By using a qualitative
semi-structured interview guide,
youth and youth allies were
asked for their ideas about
HIV/AIDS action strategies for
their communities.
This study contributes to the
existing body of HIV/AIDS education
literature in Canada. The final
report includes ideas for youth-centred
initiatives and actions inspired
by a sample of youth and youth
allies in Canada.
|
|
| |
Introduction
The purpose of this study was to develop
a report, for an audience of youth,
which examines the impact of HIV/AIDS
in global communities. A tool-kit for
local action has been assembled out
of data obtained from discussion groups,
individual interviews, and a literature
review.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
/ Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome
(AIDS) is a disease that has become
a global epidemic. HIV/AIDS does not
discriminate between ethnicity, race,
class, gender, age, ability, or sexual
orientation. In June 2001, the United
Nations General Assembly Special Session
on HIV/AIDS declared as its first
priority the need to "ensure
that people everywhere - particularly
the young - know what to do to avoid
infection" (United Nations 2001:
1). The United Nations Association
in Canada (UNA-Canada) has identified
the need to examine potential actions
that youth can take to address the
global HIV/AIDS crisis. As social
workers, we agree that youth are a
vital resource, whose creative skills
should be utilized in actions taken
to address HIV/AIDS issues in the
local and global context.
Rationale for the Study
We considered this to be an important
study for the following reasons:
(1) Global Communities - HIV/AIDS
is a global disaster that has affected
social, economic, and cultural development
in communities around the world. In
the global context, education and
awareness have contributed to the
decrease in HIV-infection rates and
healthier communities, as for example
in Uganda (ICAD 2001). This report
will contribute to the existing knowledge
base of HIV/AIDS information.
(2) Canadian Communities - This report
will contribute to the existing body
of HIV/AIDS education literature in
Canada. The final report will include
ideas for youth-centred initiatives
and actions inspired by a sample of
youth living in Canada. These user-directed
initiatives will be made available
to the current action-oriented literature
for youth in community mobilization.
(3) Social Work Practice - The report
is meaningful for social workers as
issues of HIV/AIDS intersect with
all client populations. The youth-inspired
actions of the report are consistent
with the Social Work Code of Ethics
regarding the facilitation of healthy
community development and social change.
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Stakeholders'
Overview |
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| UN/UNA-Canada |
Youth |
Community HIV/AIDS Supports |
Research Team |
- current youth opinion re:
HIV/AIDS- fresh strategies for
engaging youth
- potential increase in UNA-Canada
youth membership
- encourage the facilitation of
UN/UNA-Canada goals into local
communities
- partnership with Carleton University
School of Social Work |
- a voice in HIV/AIDS strategies
- access to involvement in the
global processes of HIV/AIDS reduction
- building sense of community
through youth collaboration
- access to harm-reduction information
- potential for increased familiarity
and involvement with UN/UNA-Canada
- potential increased awareness
of HIV/AIDS issues |
- potential increased interest/
involvement from community organizations
and programmes
- potential increase in youth
interest / involvement
- potential insight into youth
action |
- building knowledge for practice
- skill development in the realm
of HIV/AIDS
- increased knowledge of UN/UNA-Canada |
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Literature
Review |
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Scientists believe that
the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
is the virus, which leads to infections
associated with the Acquired Immuno-deficiency
Syndrome (AIDS) (Stine 2000). The first
cases of AIDS were officially reported
in Los Angeles in 1981 (Stine 2000).
Currently, there are about 40 million
people in the world living with HIV/AIDS
(UNAIDS 2001), of whom one-third are
young people aged 15 to 24 (UNAIDS 2001).
The United Nations (2001) has described
HIV/AIDS as a global epidemic.
Since 1981, it is estimated that
HIV has infected 60 million people
in the world (UNAIDS 2001). HIV/AIDS
is the fourth leading cause of death
worldwide (UNAIDS 2001). As of December
31, 2000, a total of 48,014 positive
HIV tests had been reported to Health
Canada. About 29% of these tests were
from people aged 15 to 29 (Health
Canada 2000). Worldwide, Africa has
been the hardest hit, with about 28.1
million people currently living with
HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS 2001). In some African
countries, like Botswana and South
Africa, one-fifth to one-quarter of
the adult population is HIV-infected
(UNAIDS 2000). In Botswana, one in
three young women is HIV-infected
(UNICEF 2000). HIV/AIDS is present
in every country and its prevalence
is increasing in many countries. Currently,
there are medical treatments that
address HIV/AIDS symptoms, but there
is no known cure for HIV/AIDS (UNICEF
2000). In addition to affecting health,
HIV/AIDS impacts the economies, social
systems, and governance of many developing
countries (UNAIDS 2000). To address
the global HIV/AIDS crisis, Canada,
the United Nations, and youth around
the world are taking action.
The Government of Canada, through
its National Aids Strategy for 1997-2003
(Health Canada 1998), has approved
annual funding for $42.2 million to
ensure sustainability of HIV/AIDS
efforts. The National Aids Strategy
targets high-risk behaviour in hard-to-reach
populations. An allocation of $13.15
million has been set aside for research,
which includes collaboration from
community members. Community Development
and Support to National NGOs will
receive $10 million, and Care, Treatment
and Support will receive $4.75 million.
Other programme components include
Surveillance; Prevention; Aboriginal
Communities; Consultation, Evaluation,
Monitoring, and Reporting; International
Collaboration; Correctional Services
of Canada; and Legal, Ethical Human
Rights (Health Canada 1998).
The Canadian International Development
Agency (CIDA), in its Action Plan,
has identified three Canadian-specific
goals (CIDA 2000). Canada and its
partners anticipate that by 2010,
at least 95% of young men and women
aged 15 to 24 will have access to
the information, education, and services
required to develop the life skills
necessary to reduce their vulnerability
to HIV/AIDS infection. Education,
Information and Communication (EIC),
counselling, and youth will be key
to meeting this goal. Canada and its
partners will further ensure that
HIV prevalence in this age group is
reduced globally by 25% in 2010 (CIDA
2000). Strategies will include the
provision of STD treatment, counselling,
testing, development and distribution
of female controlled methods of prevention,
promotion of condom use, and community
mobilization. Canada and its partners
will further work together with the
International Partnership against
AIDS in Africa strategy, coordinated
by UNAIDS, in at least one country
in an attempt to reduce the number
of new HIV/AIDS cases (CIDA 2000).
Prevention and education strategies
are increasingly informed by youth
expertise and experience. UNICEF is
a significant funding body to many
of these creative initiatives. Youth
to Youth Communication Against HIV/AIDS
in Tanzania engages youth to develop
programmes that use theatre as a tool
for disseminating HIV/AIDS education
to rural youth (UNICEF 2001). The
radio show and newspaper Straight
Talk, offers young people a forum
to provide HIV/AIDS advice to their
peers in Kenya (UNICEF 2000). Young
Sri Lankan rickshaw drivers are given
HIV/AIDS prevention knowledge to pass
on to individuals working in red-light
districts and their customers (UNICEF
2000). Mobile communication teams
formed by young people run interactive
entertainment with an HIV/AIDS prevention
message to people in remote areas
of Vietnam (UNICEF 2000). In Zambia,
youth-friendly health clinics offer
peer counselling and education on
HIV/AIDS. These programmes are advertised
through community theatre (UNICEF
2000).
The following are other international
initiatives. In Africa, Youth Against
AIDS (YAA) is currently creating a
global support network for young activists
that will strive for international
recognition of young people's contributions
to activism. YAA will also advocate
for increased youth involvement in
HIV/AIDS decision-making processes
(YAA 2000). The Student Global AIDS
Campaign is mobilizing American schools
and students for HIV/AIDS activism
(Student Global AIDS Campaign 2001).
Canadian youth have access to experiential
learning opportunities through Serve
Canada. An aspect of this programme
is to create theatre productions that
promote HIV/AIDS awareness (Scotia
Bank 2000).
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Theoretical
Approach
This study was based on the Empowerment
approach, which we selected for its
inclusion of feminist and structural
theoretical frameworks. This approach
includes concepts of collectivity and
recognizes oppression as antithetical
to empowerment (Hall & Hall 1996).
The aim of this study was to indirectly
empower youth by acknowledging youth's
experiences and ideas and creating strategies
for action based on their input. Since
youth were not involved in the analysis
of the study's findings, a modified
version of the Empowerment approach
was applied in this study.
The use of discussion groups and
interviews in the data collection
phase was also guided by the Empowerment
approach. This forum allowed youth
to raise awareness and generate knowledge
that informs the outcome of this study.
The eventual goal of UNA-Canada is
to empower youth with tools to create
youth-directed community development
strategies. Thus, the selection of
the Empowerment approach within this
study fits with UNA-Canada's goal
for youth in Canada.
Methodology
Design
The overall approach of the research
was qualitative and the methodology
used was interpretive-constructivist.
Qualitative research acknowledges
personal narratives as "truth"
and seeks to achieve a better understanding
of these narratives. The qualitative
approach was selected out of a desire
to hear people's stories and generate
rich description. Again, the interpretive-constructivist
approach was chosen as it honours
individual experiences while minimizing
researcher-held assumptions. This
approach places youth's experiences
at the centre of understanding for
the topic (Mertens 1998).
Sampling
Sampling for this study was purposive.
The participant selection process
employed a mixed purposeful sampling
strategy, specifically utilizing homogeneous
sampling and typical case sampling.
Heterogeneity was strived for and
accomplished in terms of ethnicity,
race, class, and sexual orientation.
The sample was made up of male and
female youth, between 19 to 24 years
of age, youth allies, and key informants.
We conducted two discussion groups
and two individual interviews, with
a combined total of 7 participants.
Although this appears to be a small
number of people, we feel that diversity
within the sample was achieved as
the sample was composed of participants
from varying communities, including
cultural, sexual orientation, gender,
and geographic. All of the participants
spoke English, although English was
not necessarily their first language.
Initially, researchers contacted
twenty-five to thirty different individuals
and organizations via e-mail and did
follow-up phone calls with each. Researchers
also met agencies in person and left
copies of a poster designed to advertise
the study and solicit participants.
One focus group made up of the target
group (youth between the ages of 19
and 24) was conducted through these
efforts. Because of the low response
rate, another approach to sampling
was needed. In the second approach
to sampling, key informants (people
who work with youth) were sought out
and contacted, even though they did
not fit the original criteria of being
19-24 years of age. This approach
was found to have a much higher response
rate.
Data Collection
Data was collected for this study
from participants, via focus/discussion
groups and interviews, and from a
literature review.
The first focus group took place
at UNA-Canada with three youth. One
researcher facilitated, another took
notes on a flipchart, and the third
person took location notes and monitored
the tape recorder. The focus group
lasted approximately two hours and
an interview guide was used. An ice-breaker
was utilized at the beginning of the
focus group.
The discussion group consisted of
two key informant participants and
was conducted on-site at their office
of employment. One researcher facilitated
and the other monitored the time and
the tape recorder. This lasted approximately
one hour and was very intimate and
interactive.
Two individual interviews were conducted
with two key informants, one who identified
as a "youth ally." Both
interviews were conducted by one member
of the research team, respectively.
One interview lasted approximately
two hours and took place at UNA-Canada
while the other interview lasted one
hour and took place at Carleton University.
All interviews took place between
the end of February and early March,
2002.
Analysis
The data collected from the focus/discussion
groups and interviews was analyzed
using grounded theory. With this theory,
the data collected is constantly being
analyzed, questioned, and compared
(Mertens 1998). Grounded theory analysis
requires the use of transcripts. The
coding (open coding, axial coding,
and selective coding) of the data
taken from the transcripts was done
manually by the research team, without
the assistance of computer software
(i.e. ENVIVO). Within this paradigm,
bias in the analysis exists as a result
of the researchers' subjective interpretation
of the data. The research team acknowledges
that the participants in this study
were not present for the analysis
of the data.
Findings
and Recommendations
The findings from this research are
presented above in the finding-based
report.
Dissemination
The findings of this research study
will be disseminated via an internet
website designed by the United Nations
Association in Canada and partially
funded by the Canadian Centre for
Foreign Policy Development. Hard copies
of the final report can be obtained
through the United Nations Association
in Canada.
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