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The Pop Reporter®

Volume 4, Number 23
7 June 2004

"The Pop Reporter" (R) Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health/Center for Communication Programs INFO Project. When you click on any link below, your Internet browser will access a Web site not connected to "The Pop Reporter." Information accessed through these links and contained in this issue of "The Pop Reporter" does not necessarily state or reflect the views of the INFO Project, Johns Hopkins University, or the US Agency for International Development. All links were verified at the date of mailing. Your computer and/or network configuration regarding Java script, cookies, and other security issues may not allow you to view certain Web sites. Consult your computer technician if you are having problems.

FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RESEARCH

Effects and Cost of Implementing a Gender-sensitive Reproductive Health Program (report)
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This report presents the results observed in the Programa de Coordinación en Salud Integral (PROCOSI) Gender Program in 10 clinics in Bolivia belonging to the nine organizations included in a Frontiers in Reproductive Health Program (FRONTIERS) sample study that evaluated the degree to which interventions were implemented, the impact of the Gender Program interventions on their clients and their partners, and the cost of implementing the program. The results showed that participating organizations effectively implemented two-thirds of proposed actions and an additional 20% were in the process of being implemented when the project ended. More women spoke to their partners about how many children to have and fewer women thought they had to ask permission from their partners to use contraceptive methods. No evidence was found in this project that changes in the perspective with which services were delivered had any effect on the demand for reproductive and sexual health services. The average cost (including both financial and non-financial costs) of adopting a gender perspective among the nine NGOs studied was US$23,148. Total costs varied substantially across the nine NGOs, reflecting the different mix and intensity of interventions that were implemented.

Effectiveness of Condoms in Preventing Sexually Transmitted Infections (review article)
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This article, published in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization, is a review of the findings of prospective studies published after June 2000 that evaluated the effectiveness of condoms in preventing STIs. The studies showed that condom use is associated with statistically significant protection of men and women against several types of STIs, including chlamydial infection, gonorrhoea, and syphilis. The authors conclude that while condoms are not 100% effective, partial protection can substantially reduce the spread of STIs within populations.

High-Performing Reproductive Healthcare Facilities in Kenya: Why They Exceed Expectations (report)
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This report summarizes findings from Phase 2 of a two-phase case study to determine why certain reproductive healthcare facilities in low-resource settings perform better than others. The study examined the characteristics, behaviors, and coping strategies of high-performing reproductive healthcare facilities in Kenya, exploring elements of resilience and factors influencing performance. The study investigated the applicability of a performance improvement model that hypothesizes that both individual and organizational performance are influenced by seven performance factors: job expectations; motivation; knowledge and skills; performance feedback; infrastructure, equipment, and supplies; leadership and management systems; and client and community focus. The study further examined the presence or absence of elements of organizational resiliency at each facility.

Integrated Reproductive Health Services: The Perspectives of Providers (PubMed abstract)
This article, from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, expands knowledge about the implementation of integrated services from the perspective of providers by focusing on the provider's perceptions and experiences of integrated services. The results suggest that the majority of providers expressed favorable attitudes to integrated services. Integrated services are seen as a more client centred approach. However, there was a lack of clarity about the precise from that integration should take. As a result, providers seem more comfortable with the traditional focus on family planning and maternal and child health than sexually transmitted infections.

An Anaylysis of Family Planning Content in HIV/AIDS, VCT, and PMTCT Policies in 16 Countries (research article)
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This paper analyzes how international guidelines and national HIV/AIDS, VCT, and PMTCT policies in 16 high-prevalence HIV countries address family planning. It then describes significant gaps in the countries' policy environment.

FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH NEWS

Singapore: Number of Sexually Transmitted Diseases Up 30%, More Young People Infected (news article)
The number of STDs has increased by some 30% over the last 4 years in Singapore, and what is worrying doctors is that more young people are contracting the diseases.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Ireland Reach Record High (news article)
The number of STIs notified in Ireland during 2002 was the highest on record, a government agency said. The number of STIs rose by 7.9% to 10,471.

Pakistan: "Birth Control Vital to Progress" (news article)
Birth control is necessary to abolish wars, starvation, and diseases, according to Pakistan Family Planning and Population Welfare Director Administration and Finance Qasim Qureshi. Mr. Qureshi made the remarks while addressing a seminar titled 'Family planning and the demographic profile of Pakistan.'

Dutch Law Sparks Sperm Shortage (news article)
A new Dutch law preventing sperm donors from remaining anonymous has resulted in a shortage of donations.

The Gambia: Cool Condoms, Kairo Pills Not Introduced to Promote Promiscuity (news article)
The Executive Director of Gambia Family Planning Association has stressed that Cool Condoms and Kairo Pills have not been introduced to promote promiscuity in the country "as lamented by some people in the country".

Indians Break Taboos, but Play Safe: Survey (news article)
Indians are having more sex and with more partners, the KamaSutra annual survey has found. Fifty-three per cent of 13,000 individuals polled admitted to having pre-marital sex, half of them before turning 21. Boyfriend/girlfriend emerged as the number one partner (79%), with 26% saying they ended up marrying their partners. Almost 60% agreed that the incidence of pre-marital sex had increased. Over a third of the married and more than half of the unmarried respondents said that they have had pre-marital sex.

Uganda: Give Prisoners Condoms - Madraa (news article)
Dr. Eizabeth Madraa, head of the STDs and HIV/AIDS control program, has suggested that prisoners be given condoms. In closing remarks at a workshop on condom education and distribution in the armed forces, she said that Ugandan society has changed, with new trends of sexual behavior like homosexuality that need immediate attention.

Australia: Falling Fertility Leads Couples to Long Donation Wait (news article)
Australia's falling fertility rates have increased demand on egg donations for couples struggling to have a baby. In Queensland there is a 6 to 7 year wait for any couple needing an egg donation.

No Sex Please — We're Japanese (feature article)
This feature article from USA Today relates how "more and more Japanese men and women are finding relationships too messy, tiring and potentially humiliating to bother with anymore."

FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH LAW AND POLICY

HIV/AIDS and Human Rights in Nigeria: Background Paper for HIV/AIDS Policy Review in Nigeria (report)
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The paper provides in-depth information on the inextricable relationship between HIV/AIDS and human
rights, including issues relating to testing, confidentiality, access to treatment/drugs, gender, the
workplace, health worker/patient interaction, and HIV/AIDS in the family and community and among vulnerable populations such as prisoners and sex workers. It draws extensively from material prepared by UNAIDS and the United Nations Centre for Human Rights, and International Guidelines on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights. It explores universal human rights set out in international and regional treaties of which Nigeria is a part, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; African Charter on Human and People’s Rights; Convention on the Right of the Child; and Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

Creating Conditions for Greater Private Sector Participation in FP/RH: Benefits for Contraceptive Security (policy brief)
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This policy brief from the POLICY Project provides an overview of processes, strategies, and tools that developing countries can adopt to foster complementary public/private sector roles that enhance the private sector's contribution to contraceptive security. The brief examines the roles of the public and private sectors in the provision of contraceptives and condoms and describes strategies/mechanisms used at both the policy and operational levels to mobilize the private sector.

China Approves Special AIDS Jails (news article)
Southern China's Guangdong province has given the green light to open special detention centers for convicts suffering from AIDS, state media announced.

Family Planning Market Segmentation in Jordan: An Analysis of the Family Planning Market in Jordan to Develop an Effective and Evidence-Based Strategic Plan for Attaining Contraceptive Security (report)
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This paper presents a detailed market segmentation analysis of the FP sector in Jordan; provides an overview of the provider market; analyzes the consumer market in terms of consumer characteristics, needs, method use, and sources of contraceptives; studies profiles of the public-, NGO-, and private-sector clients; presents a comparative analysis of the 1997 and 2002 markets; assesses the current targeting behavior in the public sector; segments the current market to establish a better match between current/potential users and the appropriate source of FP methods and services; projects the potential demand across standard of living index quintiles and the potential market for the public, NGO, and commercial sectors; and presents policy options for achieving contraceptive security based on market segmentation results.

Economic and Programmatic Aspects of Congenital Syphilis Prevention (review article)
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This paper reviews the economic rationale for screening pregnant women for syphilis, the reasons why screening is often unsuccessful, and suggests ways forward.

Targeting: A Key Element of National Contraceptive Security Planning (policy brief)
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New challenges for family planning programs have arisen from their success. In many family planning programs operated by the public sector, resources are falling short of growth in demand for services. At the same time, individuals with unmet need for family planning services are increasingly concentrated among hard-to-reach groups. Moreover, as low-cost public services come to dominate the family planning market, they compete with and crowd out the private sector. This brief from the POLICY Project explores one potential solution—targeting—to meet these challenges, alleviating barriers to the expansion and use of family planning services.

HIV/AIDS RESEARCH

The Natural History of HIV-1 and HIV-2 Infections in Adults in Africa: A Literature Review (review article)
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This review article brings together information on the natural history of HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections among adults in sub-Saharan Africa.

Knowledge and Attitude Towards HIV/AIDS among Iranian Students (research article)
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In this study, the authors evaluate the common knowledge and attitude of a group of Iranian high school students about AIDS, transmission of HIV, and methods of prevention. The students identified television as their most important source of information about AIDS. Only a few students answered all the knowledge questions correctly, and there were many misconceptions about the routes of transmission. Mosquito bites (33%), public swimming pools (21%), and public toilets (20%) were incorrectly identified as routes of transmission.

Business and HIV/AIDS: Who Me? (report)
Related press release: Survey Shows African Companies Lead the World In HIV/AIDS Control – But Still Not Doing Enough
A World Economic Forum study of 1,620 companies in Africa has found that nearly two-thirds (60%) envisaged significant adverse impacts on their business as a result of HIV/AIDS. Nearly half (48%) of the firms reported reduced productivity and increased absenteeism and 44% increased costs of recruitment and training. Unfortunately, the study also shows African companies are not responding quickly enough – 89% were concerned by the impact of HIV/AIDS on their business, but only 12% of the companies had written policies on HIV/AIDS.

HIV/AIDS NEWS

Zimbabwe: Provision of AIDS Drugs Fragmented (feature article)
This feature article provides an overview of the fragmented national response by the government of Zimbabwe to its HIV/AIDS crisis.

China: Nation's 1st AIDS Outpatient Service Launched (news article)
An outpatient service for dermatosis and AIDS has been launched at the Shenzhen Hospital for Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Diseases in south China's Guangdong Province.

South Africa's AIDS Drug Program Temporarily Capped (news article)
Less than a week after South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki pledged to provide free antiretroviral drugs to 50,000 HIV sufferers by March 2005, the country's Health Ministry imposed a temporary moratorium on new patient enrollment in the national AIDS drug program, citing erratic supplies from drug firms.

China Sets Up AIDS Patient Data Bank (news article)
A nationwide data bank on all known HIV carriers and AIDS patients is expected to be established by the end of this year, with each HIV/AIDS patient having an individual file, sources with China's Center of Disease Prevention and Control announced Saturday.

Russia to Test HIV Vaccine on Prostitutes (news article)
The Moscow Institute of Immunology has developed Russia’s first vaccine against HIV. After a trial in which the vaccine was tested on animals, scientists are ready to try it on humans — prostitutes, gay men, and drug users — most vulnerable to the deadly virus in Russia.

Uganda Leads in Effort Against AIDS (interview)
A Washington Times special correspondent recently interviewed the health minister of Uganda, a country on the front lines of worldwide efforts to halt the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Djibouti: Media to Take More Active Role in Fighting HIV/AIDS (news article)
The Djiboutian communication and culture ministry has said it plans to involve journalists more actively in fighting HIV/AIDS despite a relatively low prevalence of the virus in the country.

Americans Support More AIDS Spending-Survey (news article)
Related resource material: Survey of Americans on HIV/AIDS - Part One: Global HIV/AIDS
A small majority of Americans believe the United States should spend more to stop the spread of the AIDS virus, according to a new survey by The Kaiser Family Foundation. The survey shows that 56% of those polled believe the country needs to be spending more both domestically and abroad, while 9% say too much is being spent.

Nigeria: Obasanjo Orders Ministry to Scale Up Anti-retroviral Drugs Scheme (news article)
President Olusegun Obasanjo has directed the Federal Ministry of Health to scale up its anti-retroviral drugs program by establishing centres in all the states and increasing the number of beneficiaries.

MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH

Maternal and Congenital Syphilis Programmes: Case Studies in Bolivia, Kenya and South Africa (research article)
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This paper, from the Bulletin of the World Health Organization, reports on maternal and congenital syphilis programs in Bolivia, Kenya, and South Africa.

Bringing Together Viewpoints of Mothers and Health Workers to Enhance Monitoring and Promotion of Growth and Development of Children: A Case Study from the Republic of Congo (research article)
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In 1996, the Government of the Republic of Congo launched a pilot project to improve the child growth and development component of primary healthcare. This study was carried out to explore perceptions and practices of mothers and health workers regarding child growth, health, and development, and to design culturally-appropriate tools to enhance their monitoring and promotion. The authors note that the health workers reported that the main indicator of child growth was weight, while the mothers used broader concepts for evaluating growth and development of their toddlers. A strategy encompassing
anthropometrics, developmental milestones, and acquisition of social skills was elaborated to enhance communication between health workers and mothers. A new growth chart was designed, and a new calendar of systematic visits, including key tasks and messages, was established.

MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH NEWS

Cambodia Faces Battle to Reduce Asia's Highest Child Mortality Rate: UN (news article)
Cambodia has a battle ahead to reduce its child mortality rates, which are the highest in Asia, but the tools needed to prevent deaths are available, the UN's children agency said. "Cambodia has a long way to go," deputy executive director of UNICEF in the kingdom Kul C. Gautam told reporters at the conclusion of two-day high level consultations among Cambodian government officials and international donors.

Iran: Focus on Child Labour (feature article)
This feature article looks at child labor in Iran, from the statistics to the grim realities of those who live the life.

Ghana: Free Child Delivery Programme Launched in Mfantseman (news article)
This article announces the launch of a child delivery program in Mfantseman District, under which deliveries at health institutions in Northern, Upper East, Upper West, and Central Regions are done free of charge.

MEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH

Involving Men in Maternity Care in India (report)
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The Men in Maternity study investigated the feasibility, acceptability and cost of a new, more comprehensive, model of maternity care that encouraged husbands' participation in their wives' antenatal and postpartum care. The study specifically assessed the impact of the intervention on family planning in the postpartum period and STI preventive practices among men and women.

Increasing Risk Behaviour and High Levels of Undiagnosed HIV Infection in a Community Sample of Homosexual Men (research abstract)
Related news article: Many HIV-Positive Men Don't Realize It: Study
New British findings, which mirror US trends, suggest that one in 10 homosexual men might be infected, and that unsafe gay sex is on the increase.

Application of the Capture-Recapture Method for Estimating Number of Mobile Male Sex Workers in a Port City of Bangladesh (research article)
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This paper describes the procedure of applying the two-sample capture-recapture method in a community setting to estimate the size of a mobile, stigmatized, and unrecognized population, male sex workers, in a conservative social setting, a port city of Bangladesh, in 2000.

POPULATION RESEARCH

Effect of Socioeconomic Characteristics on Age at Marriage and Total Fertility in Nepal (research article)
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This paper examined the effect of socioeconomic characteristics on age at marriage and on total fertility rates in Nepal using a household-level dataset. The estimated results showed that an increase in age at marriage significantly reduced total fertility of women. An increase in the number of children who died had a statistically significant effect on total fertility (child replacement effect). The estimation results also emphasized the role of female education in reducing total fertility and increasing age at marriage. Moreover, female educational effect had a strong inter-generational effect on age at marriage, and this effect was stronger than the effect of male educational attainment.

Assessment of Association between Consanguinity and Fertility in Asian Populations (review article)
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This paper presents an overview of the prevalence of consanguineous marriages in selected South and Southeast Asian countries, followed by an assessment of the association between consanguinity and fertility. The association between consanguinity and fertility was assessed reviewing published literature and analyzing demographic and health survey (DHS) data from Pakistan and India. Results of the review of published literature showed higher fertility among women in the first-cousin unions compared to those married to non-relatives. In the DHS analyses, consanguinity was found to be associated with a number of direct and indirect determinants of fertility, including lower maternal education, lower maternal age at marriage, lower contraceptive use, and rural residence.

POPULATION NEWS

The Philippines: Population to Grow to 84.2m This Year (news article)
With four babies born each minute, the Philippines' population is expected to grow this year to 84.2 million, a situation that could worsen poverty and strain the environment.

'The Empty Cradle' and Shrinking Birth Rates (resource material)
The population explosion is overdue for an update. A new book argues that too few -- not too many -- babies pose an unexamined threat to everything from American productivity to your retirement. Use this link to access audio files of a (US) National Public Radio program that looks at the long-term effects of the empty cradle.

WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH

Monthly Antibiotic Chemoprophylaxis and Incidence of Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV-1 Infection in Kenyan Sex Workers (research abstract)
This study examined regular antibiotic prophylaxis in female sex workers (FSWs) in an urban slum area of Nairobi, Kenya, as a strategy for reducing the incidence of bacterial STIs and HIV-1. Of 890 FSWs screened, 466 who were seronegative for HIV-1 infection were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive azithromycin (n = 230) or placebo (n = 236). Seventy-three percent of participants (n = 341) were followed up for 2 or more years or until they reached an administrative trial end point. Incidence of HIV-1 did not differ between treatment and placebo groups (4% vs 3.2%). Incident HIV-1 infection was associated with preceding infection with N gonorrhoeae or C trachomatis. There was a reduced incidence in the treatment group of infection with N gonorrhoeae, C trachomatis, and T vaginalis.

Characteristics of Female Sex Workers and Their HIV/AIDS/STI Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviour in Semi-urban Areas in South Africa (PubMed abstract)
This study investigated characteristics of female sex workers and their HIV/AIDS/STI knowledge, attitudes, and behavior in semi-urban areas in South Africa. Results showed an inadequate knowledge of HIV prevention methods and some incorrect beliefs about AIDS transmission. Most sex workers reported condom use with their last sex client, inconsistent condom use with paying partners, and had poor condom use with regular partners.

The Prevalence and Features of the Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in an Unselected Population (research abstract)
Related news article: Hormonal Disorder Hits More Women Than Thought
A hormonal disorder marked by infertility, acne, weight gain, and excess hair affects more women of childbearing age than experts previously believed. One in 15 women suffers from polycystic ovary syndrome, the most common endocrine abnormality of reproductive-aged women in the United States. Previous research had estimated that 4% of women suffered from the syndrome.

Contraception Choice for HIV Positive Women (research abstract)
The aim of this article is to present a global overview of contraception choice for women living with HIV infection including effects on sexual transmission risk.

Assessment of Obesity, Lifestyle, and Reproductive Health Needs of Female Citizens of Al Ain, United Arab Emirates (research article)
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This study was conducted to determine the reproductive and lifestyle characteristics in a representative sample of women in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, to guide the development of health programs for this population with rising affluence.

Sexually Transmitted Infections in Women Who Have Sex with Women (research abstract)
This article describes the prevalence of STIs in a sample of lesbian and bisexual women in London and identifies risk factors for the acquisition of STI.

Protecting Women's Legal Rights in Mexico, Colombia and the Dominican Republic: Final Report (report)
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This report provides an overview of the accomplishments of Partners of America work in protecting women's legal rights in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico.

WOMEN'S HEALTH NEWS

Iraq: Shelter in North Helps Vulnerable Women (news article)
This feature article relates the story of the Nawa Centre opened in December 1999. Set up to provide shelter and counselling to homeless and battered women, the first of its kind in the Middle East outside Palestine, Nawa has harboured over 600 women in 4 years.

Maids as Slaves: Asia's Hidden Shame (news article)
Few women in Asia physically torture their maids, as a wealthy Malaysian housewife is alleged to have done recently, but many are accused of treating them like slaves, according to this article.

Child Marriage Leading Health Risk for Women in Developing World, Experts Say (feature article)
This feature article from Voice of America news reports on child marriage - an age-old custom in many nations - which many experts say is a leading cause of serious health risks for women in the developing world, doubling the likelihood of death during childbirth and leading to lasting reproductive health problems.

Turkey 'Plagued by Crimes of Honour' (news article)
Related report: Turkey: Women Confronting Family Violence
Up to half of all women in Turkey are subjected to "scandalous" levels of violence, mostly from their own families, according to Amnesty International. Despite the country's eagerness to join the EU, the government and judicial authorities not only tolerated but even endorsed heinous "crimes of honour", the human rights group said.

YOUTH HEALTH RESEARCH

Young People's Health in Context. Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) Study: International Report from the 2001/2002 Survey (report)
Related press release: New Report Spotlights Risks to Young People's Health
Related news article: UK: Many Teens 'Having Underage Sex'
This report includes the most recent survey of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study, which covered almost 162,000 young people aged 11, 13, and 15 years in 35 countries and regions in the WHO European Region and North America. The report examines young people's health through a wide range of key health indicators, including alcohol, tobacco and cannabis use, injuries, physical activity, bullying and physical fighting, and sexual behavior.

Relationship between Nutritional and Psychological Status of Pregnant Adolescents and Non-adolescents in Brazil (research article)
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This study compared the nutritional and psychological status of 855 pregnant adolescents and nonadolescents and assessed their relationships at three interviews (gestational age less than or equal to 16 weeks, 20-26 weeks, and 30-36 weeks). The instruments used were: anthropometry, state-trait anxiety inventories, general health questionnaire, and perceived stress scale. More adolescents were thinner, had higher scores of the trait anxiety inventory, wished to abort their children, and were worried about changes in their bodies than non-adolescents. Multiple linear regression analyses (controlling for toxic exposure, socioeconomic, demographic and obstetric factors) detected negative associations between weight gain in the first interview and distress for both the groups of women and weight gain in the second interview and the variable "worry about body's change" for the non-adolescent group. The negative associations between body mass index and chronic anxiety were present in the three interviews for non-adolescents. This study detected a relationship between the nutritional and the psychological status of pregnant women, although there were more associations for non-adolescents.

Impact on Adolescent Reproductive Health of Community-based Interventions for Supporting Orphaned and Vulnerable Children in South Africa (report)
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This report presents the impact of Goelama, a 5-year, two phase project to test innovative approaches to address issues facing orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). The program seeks to build on contemporary approaches and strategies for community-driven initiatives to improve the safety, health, and survival of OVC and youth aged 0-22 years.

Culturally Appropriate Information, Education and Communication Strategies for Improving Adolescent Reproductive Health in Cusco, Peru (news article)
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The project Culturally Appropriate Information, Education and Communication Strategies for Improving Adolescent Reproductive Health in Cusco, Peru was designed in response to the evident lack of information and education on adolescent reproductive health in the country and, in particular, in the rural areas of the department of Cusco. Researchers conducted baseline and endline surveys of indigenous adolescents living in the Quispicanchis and Canchis provinces in the rural areas of the department of Cusco, Peru. The adolescents were third, fourth and fifth year students attending 13 high schools (ninth, tenth, and eleventh grade U.S. equivalent). Researchers measured the knowledge and attitudes of adolescents living in the broadcast range of an educational radio series. data suggest that following the intervention, students were better able to articulate reproductive health concepts and spontaneously mention reproductive organs, negative consequences of early pregnancy, contraceptive methods and modes of HIV/STI transmission, among others.

Conducting a Situation Analysis of Orphans and Vulnerable Children Affected by HIV/AIDS (resource material)
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This framework and resource guide, from the US Agency for International Development Bureau for Africa Office of Sustainable Development, is intended to help people involved in programs assisting orphans and vulnerable children conduct a situation analysis. The guide serves as a tool for collecting and synthesizing in-country and sub-national information. Examples of situation analyses and related research are provided throughout the document to draw upon the variety of approaches, and their components, that communities and institutions have undertaken to assess their particular situation.

Tips for Developing Life Skills Curricula for HIV Prevention Among African Youth: A Synthesis of Emerging Lessons (resource material)
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The second edition of this document, published in April 2004, offers practical guidance for those planning, implementing, or strengthening life skills curricula for young people in sub-Saharan Africa. Section I provides background on the issues of adolescent sexuality and vulnerability and implementation of HIV prevention with young people. Section II offers practical tips for implementing life skills programs for young people, divided into Tips for Planners, Tips for Curriculum Designers, Tips for Teacher Trainers and Head Teachers, and Tips for Administrators. Section III is a bibliography of the documents reviewed for this publication. Finally, Annex A contains a list of example life skills curricula, and material and contact information.

YOUTH HEALTH NEWS

China Works with UNICEF to Protect Country Girls (feature article)
This feature article from the People's Daily Online describes how China is currently with UNICEF on several initiatives to fight human trafficking of rural country girls.

Tanzania: Teachers Unhappy with Distribution of Condoms in Schools (news article)
The distribution of condoms in schools has sparked a heated debate among members of the Tanzania Teachers Association who argue that the move would fuel the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

US: The Casual Emptiness of Teenage Sex (feature article)
This cover story from The New York Times is based on interviews and exchanges with nearly 100 US suburban teenagers, and opens a window onto a world of sexual encounters devoid of emotional connection, of casual assignations, arranged via e-mail or cellphone, deliberately divorced from dating or romance.

Liberia: Prostitution of Teenagers Deepens - Survey Links Men in NGOs, Govt, Businesses (news article)
A recent "fact-finding" survey report has shown that a great number of adolescents are deeply involved in child prostitution. The report revealed that men in various fields used adolescents as sex workers. High on the list of men engaging teenagers into prostitution are NGOs staff, big business people, and government officials.

Madagascar: National Birth Registration Campaign Launched (news article)
The Madagascar government and aid partners launched a national birth registration campaign to secure full rights of citizenship for the country's children.

SPECIAL REPORTS/PROFILES/RESOURCES

Relation Between Randomized Controlled Trials Published in Leading General Medical Journals and the Global Burden of Disease (review article)
Related news article: Medical Journals Don't Publish Trials on Major Global Diseases
Major global diseases that affect the world's poor are under-represented among trial studies in leading medical journals, according to this review in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. The article examined 286 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published in six leading medical journals. As well as determining which diseases were represented, the researchers asked 12 experts from international health organisations to assess the studies' relevance to global health. Only 31.5% of RCTs studied one of the top 10 causes of the global disease burden. Of these, just 14 were rated as being highly relevant to international health. And seven of the 35 most deadly and debilitating diseases were not studied in any trial published by the journals.

Preventing Postpartum Hemorrhage: A Community-Based Approach Proves Effective in Rural Indonesia (resource material)
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This program brief provides an overview of a community-based intervention in rural Indonesia to prevent postpartum hemorrhage.

Prevention and Treatment of Malaria during Pregnancy (resource material)
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This program brief provides an overview of the MNH Program, which promotes the use of intermittent preventive treatment and insecticide-treated bed nets for the prevention of malaria and supports effective case management for treatment of malaria during pregnancy.

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