Good Example Of Essay On Health Education

The HIV pandemic continues to pose a concern in the world health debate. It is, therefore, imperative that change is effected towards ensuring more people are prevented from acquiring this virus. The youths form a big percentage of those under 30 affected by the virus. According to, Herr, Telljohann, Price, Dake, and Stone, the teenagers in school make 10% of the persons under 30 years of age that have been diagnosed with the HIV virus. They assert that education on the virus has been effective in promoting behavioral change in high school. Fonner et al, say that education intervention in high schools is a moderately effective strategy for HIV prevention among the youth. Peer education has led to increased knowledge about the virus and consequently the avoidance of risky sexual behavior.
The purpose of bringing a change in the model of HIV prevention interventions is so as to involve relevant community agencies in the HIV virus education platform and also to ensure that the measures and strategies used are effective. Public health nursing has long been involved in the preventive health care. Nurses are well endowed to provide health information on HIV targeting High Priority populations. How this can be enacted is through use of Community Participatory Health Promotion Model. This strategy is based on the social action theory, whereby community members are engaged in identifying problems and in establishing behavioral change. For instance, the school based sex education could involve nursing practitioners in their programs. Communication to the public, measures involve information dissemination by use of health websites, broadcast TV programs on the HIV menace and possible measures of Prevention. Collaborations with agencies such as AIDS Research Institute and the Pacific AIDs Education Training agencies would equip the nursing team in the provision of accurate information on the development. The advantage of this change is the incorporation of the society at large in coming up with a society based approach in the prevention intervention.
However, there is a dire need for change that brings a positive response from the youth in prevention of the HIV spread. For instance, the adoption of study designs that work with the youth. Research has showed that the ‘abstinence-only’ campaigns in sex education do not necessarily prevent the youth from engaging in sexual activities. Incorporation of abstinence and the contraceptives option in a more open way in the sex education platform will go a long way to preventing the risks. The rationale for this change is most adolescents are eager to engage in sexual activity. They further have no motivation for abstinence. Fonner et al find that the sex education programs that had positive responses were characterized by programs beyond the school environment. This involved bringing on board trained healthcare staff to provide information that is friendly to the youth, involving parents and the society in the development plan.
Addressing more than just sexual risk interventions is another strategy. The underlying issues need to be taken into consideration. Most youths do not know how to make sexual decisions. Programs addressing issues such as problem-solving skills, decision-making and enhancing self-worth and pride should be put into consideration. The internet is a widely used platform for health information according to Robinson and Graham 2010. The use of media, especially the internet, for HIV /AIDS awareness needs to be improved. The media may clearly influence and shape sexual behavior. The entertainment platform, for instance, may be seen to be portraying sex as a satisfactory leisure activity with no after effects even when protection is used. Sex has left the backstage and is now everywhere. Pop music is one media that has high sexual content. It should be on our mind that the youth are watching and learning and this may be a greater contributor to the rising of sexual activities among the youth. Advertisers have also resulted to sexual content to sell their product. Christian Nordqvist, in an article ‘Media Impact on Teen Sexual Behavior’, notes that most teens have a liking for the TV, websites and social media which are filled with so much sexual content that it may in most cases influence and shape their sexual behavior.
Media should be used positively to bring positive social change, for instance, promote information about protected sex. Advertisements should be barred from using erotic messages, and pop music content should be controlled. These measures will help the sex education program, as it is evident that the greatest education that the media gives to sex is to encourage it, anywhere with any person and without regard to the dangers. To save the next generation, the youth need to receive responsible information in entertainment industries which is a major part of their lives. The government programs need to incorporate measures to prevent negative sexual influences if we are to win in the fight against the spread of the HIV virus.
The elements of the peer education reform as is propose above entails, the use of new study designs in the school-based sex education program which involves incorporation of programs that target behaviors that are able to remedy such as solving unprotected sex. It also involves the involvement of the youth in the formulation of those particular programs to ensure the critical issues are addressed. Parents also need to play a role in this education as they are major players in their children’s lives. Programs that incorporate outside environment are also highly encouraged.
Dialogue among the youth, the parents and teachers is also fundamental to identifying the underlying issues that cause sexual behavior that is risky. The media and entertainment industry needs a major change as regards the kind of sexual content portrayed to the general public.
The inaction of this kind of change needs collaboration of the major players in the sector. The government should be committed to establish working school-based programs as well as community-based sex programs to cater for those youths that are not in school. Rules as regards sexual content in advertisements, in music and in TV programs should be controlled to ensure the youth are not unduly influenced by sexual activities. Further, the health sector needs to collaborate with the youth education departments in order to avail information that is sound and effective with regard to use of condoms and contraceptives.
In conclusion, this strategy is expected to ensure effectiveness in the HIV AIDS education and awareness and will aid in marketing HIV prevention and therefore prevent risky behaviors that lead to HIV spread.

References

Fonner, V., Armstrong, K., Kennedy, C., O'Reilly, K., & Sweat, M. (2014). School Based Sex Education and HIV Prevention in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. PLoS Journal, 1-32.
Herr, S., Telljohann, S., Price, J., Dake, J., & Stone, G. (2012). High School Health-Education Teachers’ Perceptions and Practices Related to Teaching HIV Prevention. Journal of School Health, 514-521.
Nordqvist, C. (2010). Media's Impact On Teen Sexual Behaviors, Teenage Pregnancies And Sexually Transmitted Infections. Medical News Today, 2-3.
Sales, J., & DiClemente, R. (2010). Adolescent STI/HIV Prevention Programs:What Works for Teens? New York: Act for Youth Center of Excellence.