Education about HIV/AIDS—theoretical underpinnings for a practical response

TY - JOUR

T1 - Education about HIV/AIDS—theoretical underpinnings for a practical response

AU - Miedema, Esther

AU - Maxwell, Claire

AU - Aggleton, Peter

PY - 2011/6

Y1 - 2011/6

N2 - Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)- and ac- quired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)- related education is seen by many as central to increasing young people’s awareness of, as well as decreasing their vulnerability to, HIV. There is less agreement, however, on the central goals of HIV- and AIDS-related education and the form it might best take. This paper offers a con- ceptual framework for understanding some of the main approaches to HIV- and AIDS-related education being implemented today, drawing a distinction between approaches which are ‘sci- entifically’ informed; those that draw upon notions of ‘rights’ and those which are overtly ‘moralistic’ in the sense that they promote con- servative moral positions concerning sexuality and sexual acts. In outlining these three approaches, we examine different ways in which the terms ‘science’, ‘rights’ and ‘moral values’ are conceptualized and some of the key assump- tions underpinning different forms of HIV- and AIDS-related education. Findings will be useful for those desiring to develop a typology of approaches to HIV- and AIDS-related education and their potential effects.

AB - Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)- and ac- quired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)- related education is seen by many as central to increasing young people’s awareness of, as well as decreasing their vulnerability to, HIV. There is less agreement, however, on the central goals of HIV- and AIDS-related education and the form it might best take. This paper offers a con- ceptual framework for understanding some of the main approaches to HIV- and AIDS-related education being implemented today, drawing a distinction between approaches which are ‘sci- entifically’ informed; those that draw upon notions of ‘rights’ and those which are overtly ‘moralistic’ in the sense that they promote con- servative moral positions concerning sexuality and sexual acts. In outlining these three approaches, we examine different ways in which the terms ‘science’, ‘rights’ and ‘moral values’ are conceptualized and some of the key assump- tions underpinning different forms of HIV- and AIDS-related education. Findings will be useful for those desiring to develop a typology of approaches to HIV- and AIDS-related education and their potential effects.

KW - Faculty of Social Sciences

KW - HIV prevention education

KW - sexuality education

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0268-1153

VL - 26

SP - 516

EP - 525

JO - Health Education Research

JF - Health Education Research

IS - 3

ER -