Setting up a school-based sexual education program to help prevent AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases

AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are common today, but many parents, teachers and students do not fully understand the diseases or what constitutes their prevention. Young persons, for a variety of reasons (e.g., developmental issues, peer pressure, societal influences) are becoming sexually active at earlier ages than ever before. However, early sexual activity often is not accompanied by knowledge about the consequences. Three nurse practitioners and one nurse educator from a university in the Northeast developed creative ways of educating students to help them avoid becoming the AIDS and STD patients of tomorrow. The nurses' efforts led to the development of an education program for parents and students (grades 7 through 12). The information obtained from these programs can help serve as a model for clinicians interested in conducting AIDS and STD secondary-school education programs.