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Volume 6, Number 32
14 August 2006
Pop Reporter Tip: Did you know? You can see what type an item is before you click on the title to go to the text. Below every item’s title is a description of what that item is: "News Article", "Research Article", "Report", "Abstract", and so on. Sometimes we are unable to link to full-text articles because a personal or institutional subscription is necessary. But the research is still important. We identify these items with "Abstract; subscription needed for full text" so that you know what you’ll be getting after you click the link.
FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RESEARCH
Comparative effects of a contraceptive vaginal ring delivering a nonandrogenic progestin and continuous ethinyl estradiol and a combined oral contraceptive containing levonorgestrel on hemostasis variables
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global)
American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2006 Jul;195(1):72-77.
Rad M | Kluft C | Ménard J | Burggraaf J | de Kam ML | Meijer P | Sivin I | Sitruk-Ware RL
Related News Article: Blood clot risk similar in vaginal ring and pill
Researchers report that in a comparison of a contraceptive vaginal ring with an oral contraceptive, the ring does not have a higher risk of causing a blood clot.
Effect of family planning services on modern contraceptive method continuation in Vietnam
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Asia)
Journal of Biosocial Science. Online access July 3, 2006.
Do MP | Koenig MA
In Vietnam, not much is known about the linkages between service accessibility and quality and contraceptive behavior. The study focuses on the effects of the outreach program and commune health centers on contraceptive method discontinuation for three modern, temporary methods: the IUD, oral pills, and condoms. This study provides evidence for the importance of family planning services for contraceptive method continuation in Vietnam.
A cohort study among university students: identification of risk factors for Epstein-Barr Virus seroconversion and infectious mononucleosis
(Research Article; Global | Europe)
Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2006 Aug 1;3 Aug 2006 43(3):276-282.
Crawford DH | Macsween KF | Higgins CD | Thomas R | McAulay K | Williams H | Harrison N | Reid S | Conacher M | Douglas J | Swerdlow AJ
Related News Article: Sex may increase risk of mono virus
Though mononucleosis is known as the "kissing disease," sexual intercourse may increase the odds of contracting the virus, a UK study suggests. The findings, say researchers, could have implications for the vaccines now being tested against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), the cause of mono.
Condom use with steady and casual partners in inner city African-American communities
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; North America)
Sexually Transmitted Infections. 2006 Jun;82(3):238-242.
Chatterjee N | Hosain GMM | Williams S
This study examined rates of and factors associated with consistent condom use with steady partner and with casual partners in inner city African-American communities with high STI prevalence. The proportion of condom use with both partner types was relatively high, reflecting a general trend towards increased condom use in the United States. The finding of lower reported rates with casual partners is discussed. Factors associated with condom use differ according to type of partner. Precise measurement of actual condom use continues to be an elusive task but is required for the design of appropriate messages and evaluation of STI programs.
When training is insufficient: reflections on capacity development in health promotion in Peru
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global | South America)
Health Promotion International. 2006 May 15;21(3):230-237.
Waisbord S
The author, with the Academy for Educational Development, writes argues that capacity development programs need to start by assessing challenges to make competencies effective in job performance. Projects should neither be donor-driven nor depend on individuals. Instead, they should focus on institution building, find creative ways to promote long-term sustainability of capacity development, and require long-term commitment to promote ownership and sustainability.
FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH NEWS
In Thailand, foreigners find new fertility options
(Feature Article; Global | Asia)
6 Aug 2006
Agence France-Presse
Clinics in Thailand are carving out a niche with fertility treatments. Among the latest treatments offered is a procedure creating fierce ethical debate and available in just a handful of countries -- a treatment that allows couples to decide whether to give birth to a boy or a girl.
Third 'have sex below legal age'
(News Article; Global | Europe)
13 Aug 2006
BBC
Nearly a third of 16 to 24-year-olds in the UK lost their virginity below the age of consent, a survey has found. The BBC Radio 1 poll also found 43% of young people had had at least five sexual partners, with one in five having more than 10.
FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH LAW AND POLICY
Enrolling adolescents in research on HIV and other sensitive issues: lessons from South Africa
(Research Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
PLoS Medicine. 2006 Jul;3(7):e180.
Singh JA | Karim SSA | Karim QA | Mlisana K | Williamson C
This article examines the challenges that face South African researchers in enrolling adolescent participants in HIV studies. They believe that the challenges probably apply to much of sub-Saharan Africa, where future vaccine and microbicide efficacy trials will need to be conducted in order to fast track efforts to find a vaccine or microbicide to reduce the spread of HIV in this important population. They suggest that rigid legislation and/or ethical guidelines that pertain to adolescent participation in research and their uncritical application are counterproductive.
How do intellectual property law and international trade agreements affect access to antiretroviral therapy?
(Research Article; Global)
PLoS Medicine. 2006 Aug 8;3(8):e332.
Westerhaus M | Castro A
Researchers believe that international patent laws and US-negotiated trade agreements are impeding access to life-saving antiretroviral therapy.
Bulgaria seeks to raise birth rate
(News Article; Europe)
10 Aug 2006
United Press International
Bulgaria's parliament has passed incentive laws aimed at increasing the number of babies born in the country. In an effort to stop a demographic drop, lawmakers worked out new measures to extend pregnancy leave from the current 135 days to 315 days, during which a new mother will receive 90 percent of her monthly salary, Belgrade's Beta news agency reported.
Indian cabinet proposes women judges for rape cases
(News Article; Global | Asia)
4 Aug 2006
Agence France-Presse
India's cabinet has proposed changes to the criminal code that would make it mandatory for all rape cases to be tried by female judges. The change, which would need to be approved by parliament, aimed to "do away with the tough questioning resorted to by defence lawyers to browbeat and shame rape victims." In May, India's Supreme Court ruled that the testimony of a rape victim is enough to convict a defendant even if medical evidence is inconclusive.
HIV/AIDS RESEARCH
Adherence to antiretroviral therapy in Sub-Saharan Africa and North America
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global | North Africa | North America | Sub-Saharan Africa)
Journal of the American Medical Association. 2006 Aug 9;296(6):679-90.
Mills EJ | Nachega JB | Buchan I | Orbinski J | Attaran A | Singh S | Rachlis B | Wu P | Cooper C | Thabane L | Wilson K | Guyatt GH | Bangsberg DR
Related News Article: African HIV drug adherence beats U.S.
Researchers examining 58 studies on adherence to HIV drugs found an estimated 77% of sub-Saharan Africans with HIV adhered to the recommended drug regimen, compared with 55% of North American patients.
Gender impact of HIV and AIDS in India 
(Report; Global | Asia)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
New Delhi, India, United Nations Development Programme, 2006.
Pradhan BK | Sundar R
Related News Article: Polygamous husbands behind rise in HIV/AIDS in women: UN study
This study details the impact of HIV and AIDS on women and
girls in India by examining a cross-section of issues such as income, savings, consumption as well as education, health, and levels of stigma and discrimination. The findings indicate that HIV tends to exacerbate gender disparities. Besides the increased workload at home, women are also required to take up employment to supplement lost earnings. In particular, the economic situation of women headed households is very fragile. [145 pp.]
HIV/AIDS knowledge, women's education, epidemic severity, and protective sexual behaviour in low- and middle- income countries
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global)
Journal of Biosocial Science. Online access July 20, 2006.
Snelling D | Omariba D | Hong S | Georgiades K | Racine Y | Boyle MH
Although knowledge about HIV/AIDS and protective sexual behavior are linked theoretically, relatively little is known about their empirical relationship. In addition to other factors, this study examined the relationship between HIV/AIDS knowledge and protective behavior (condom use and restricted sex). There was an association between increased knowledge of HIV/AIDS and condom use that varied in strength and form cross-nationally. However, this study indicates that protective sexual practices are disturbingly low. In eight of 23 countries, overall levels of condom use to prevent STDs and HIV/AIDS were less than 5%.
Will HIV/AIDS levels in Asia reach the level of sub-Saharan Africa?
(Commentary; Global | Asia | Sub-Saharan Africa)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Asia-Pacific Population Journal. 2006 Apr;21(1):3-9.
Caldwell JC
Major reasons that Asia is unlikely to experience
African-level HIV/AIDS epidemics is that there is an ancient concept of nationhood and class societies, with elites willing to undertake national leadership in emergencies, together with a different sexual culture.
Systematic review of the effectiveness of mass communication programs to change HIV/AIDS-related behaviors in developing countries
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global)
Health Education Research. 17 Jul 2006;21(4):567-597.
Bertrand JT | O'reilly K | Denison J | Anhang R | Sweat M
This review systematically examined the effectiveness of 24 mass media interventions on changing HIV-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. The intervention studies were published from 1990 through 2004. The most frequently reported outcomes were condom use (17 studies) and knowledge of modes of HIV transmission (15). The results yielded mixed results, and where statistically significant, the effect size was small to moderate (in some cases as low as 1-2% point increase). On two of the seven outcomes, at least half of the studies did show a positive impact of the mass media: knowledge of HIV transmission and reduction in high-risk sexual behavior.
Socio-economic impact of HIV and AIDS in India
(Report; Global | Asia)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
New Delhi, India, United Nations Development Programme, 2006.
Pradhan BK | Sundar R | Singh SK
This study highlights the socio-economic impact of HIV in India. The impact has been detailed for a cross-section of issues such as income, savings, and consumption, as well as education, health, gender, and levels of stigma and discrimination. The trends from this study suggest that HIV places the households at increased economic and social risk, and exacerbates existing gender disparities and
biases such as discrimination in treatment, access to education, and burden of care. [256 pp.]
Rapid scale-up of antiretroviral therapy at primary care sites in Zambia
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Sub-Saharan Africa)
Jounral of the American Medical Association. 2006 Aug 16;296(7):782-793.
Stringer J | Zulu I | Levy J | Stringer EM | Mwango A | Chi BH | Mtonga V | Reid S | Cantrell RA | Bulterys M | Saag MS | Marlink RG | Mwinga A | Ellerbrock TV | Sinkala M
The Zambian Ministry of Health has scaled-up HIV/AIDS care and treatment services at primary care clinics in Lusaka. The goal of this study is to report on the feasibility and early outcomes of the program. By studying negative outcomes and the number of patients who used the treatment, the authors concluded that massive scale-up of HIV and AIDS treatment services with good clinical outcomes is feasible in primary care settings in sub-Saharan Africa.
Education and HIV/AIDS Prevention: evidence from a randomized evaluation in Western Kenya
(Report; Sub-Saharan Africa)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
London, UK, Partnership for Child Development, 2006
Duflo E | Dupas P | Kremer M | Sinei S
Related News Article: Cheap solutions cut AIDS toll for poor Kenyan youths
The authors report results from a randomized evaluation comparing school-based HIV/AIDS interventions in Kenya. The primary measure of the effectiveness of these interventions is teenage childbearing, which is associated with unprotected sex. After 2 years, girls in schools where teachers had been trained were more likely to be married in the event of a pregnancy. Reducing the cost of education by paying for school uniforms reduced dropout rates, teen marriage, and childbearing.
HIV/AIDS, communities and health systems strengthening
(Policy Brief; Global | Europe)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Brighton, UK, International HIV/AIDS Alliance, July 2006.
This is a submission from the International HIV/AIDS Alliance to the UK Government, as part of the Department for International Development’s (DfID) Health Strategy consultation. The paper responds to a number of questions around what needs to be done to scale up towards universal access to essential health services, including comprehensive HIV services, in developing countries. The submission argues for an emphasis on the three health MDG’s – on HIV/AIDS, on child health and maternal health – as the focus for investment in health systems strengthening.
Parents of persons with AIDS: unrecognized contributions and unmet needs
(Review/Synthesis; Asia)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Global Ageing: Issues and Action. 2006 Aug;:46-55.
Knodel J
This article summarizes the contributions and needs of parents of adults who become ill and die of AIDS based on systemmatic empirical research in Thailand and Cambodia. The findings reflect on important ways in which the epidemic affects older generations.
HIV/AIDS NEWS
Low condom use blamed in Southern Africa AIDS crisis
(News Article; Global | Sub-Saharan Africa)
14 Aug 2006
Reuters
Southern Africa's AIDS pandemic, the world's worst, is being fueled primarily by low condom use among people with multiple concurrent sexual partners and low levels of male circumcision, according to a new study. The report by the Southern African Development Community said men's sexual attitudes and behaviors, intergenerational sex, and high levels of gender and sexual violence also were to blame for the rapid spread of the disease.
Gates: women key to fighting AIDS
(News Article; Global)
14 Aug 2006
Reuters
A cream, gel, or pill that women can use to protect themselves from the AIDS virus is key to stopping the AIDS pandemic, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, who has given hundreds of millions of dollars to HIV programs, said in a speech to open the 16th International AIDS Conference in Toronto.
Saudi Arabia begins to face hidden AIDS problem
(Feature Article; Middle East)
8 Aug 2006
The New York Times
For years Saudi Arabia kept its growing AIDS problem hidden. Now, the government is opening up. In June, the Ministry of Health announced that more than 10,000 people in Saudi Arabia were HIV-positive or had AIDS, including nearly 600 children. The numbers appear to show a significant increase in infection over 2004, when 7,800 cases were reported, and 2003, when 6,700 cases were reported. But many doctors say even the latest figures are off, with the real numbers likely to be far higher.
HIV therapy drugs reach one in five
(News Article; Global)
10 Aug 2006
Reuters
Only one in five people with HIV in poor and middle-income countries receives the drugs that treat the virus, says a report by the US Centers for Disease Control.
India's hidden enemy
(Feature Article; Asia)
11 Aug 2006
Toronto Sun
The world's largest democracy, India, has become an economic dynamo, but its power is being sapped by a force few want to talk about: AIDS.
African tribe stays virtually AIDS free
(News Article; Global | Sub-Saharan Africa)
12 Aug 2006
The Toronto Star
Along the northern border between Botswana and Namibia, in a region of Africa that is raging with AIDS, a small tribe of some 3,000 souls is living virtually free of HIV infection. But the secret of the Ju/'hoansi (pronounced ZHUN-twasi) people is not based on a mysterious immunity, modern medicine, simple isolation or missionary strictures against sex. It stems, rather, from an idea derived from the ancient hunter-gatherer lifestyle of their recent past. It's the concept that men and women are equal, says University of Toronto anthropologist Richard Lee, who has studied the tribe since 1963.
Uganda: increased condom urged for HIV prevention
(News Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
8 Aug 2006
PlusNews
Ugandan Vice-President Gilbert Bukenya is lobbying for condoms to form a bigger part of HIV prevention efforts.
AIDS transforms life, family structure in Lesotho
(Feature Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
6 Aug 2006
National Public Radio
The Lesotho government has been praised for having one of the most ambitious HIV/AIDS initiatives on the continent. It is aimed at encouraging citizens to know their HIV/AIDS status, but local officials are overwhelmed and citizens continue to suffer.
When a pill is not enough
(Feature Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
6 Aug 2006
New York Times Magazine
In most of the world, the biggest reason so many babies are born with the AIDS virus is that their governments do not offer nevirapine. But in South Africa, there’s a different problem. Nevirapine is widely available, yet more than 70,000 babies a year are born there with HIV. The government can get nevirapine, condoms, and AIDS treatment out to the most remote corners of the country, but it cannot penetrate what has become the most difficult terrain in AIDS work: the insides of people’s heads.
Swaziland: toll-free helpline to curb suicides
(News Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
8 Aug 2006
Integrated Regional Information Networks
A clash of the old world and the new, recession and the increasing incidence of HIV/AIDS in Swaziland has seen the suicide rate spike to such levels that the country has established its first toll-free helpline.
Cote D'Ivoire: ARVs reduce deaths due to TB-HIV co-infection
(News Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
25 Jul 2006
PlusNews
The arrival of antiretroviral drugs in the rebel-held north of Cote d'Ivoire is having a dramatic impact on tuberculosis-related deaths.
Tanzania: free food programme to complement free ARVs
(News Article; Global | Sub-Saharan Africa)
8 Aug 2006
PlusNews
The government has announced a program to provide free food for HIV/AIDS patients. Although details of the scheme are yet to be made public, it has received strong political backing. Officials acknowledged that the treatment and care of HIV-positive Tanzanians, more than half of whom live below the poverty line, must go well beyond merely providing life-prolonging medication if it is to be successful.
MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH
The effect of women's status on infant and child mortality in four rural areas of Bangladesh
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Asia)
Journal of Biosocial Science. Online access July 7, 2006.
Hossain MB | Phillips JF | Pence B
In South Asia, women are often the primary decision-makers regarding child health care, family health, and nutrition. This paper examines the idea that constraints on women’s status negatively affect the survival of their children. Higher autonomy and household authority significantly decreases this risk of a child dying. A simulation based on estimated effects of eliminating gender inequality suggests that achieving complete gender equality could reduce child mortality by nearly 50% and post-neonatal mortality by one-third.
The city initiative for newborn health
(Research Article; Asia)
PLoS Medicine . 2006 Aug 8;3(9):e339.
Fernandez A | Osrin D
This article describes the critical first steps taken to revitalize the vast public health system of Mumbai City through the active participation of personnel from within the system. It focuses on one of two components of an ambitious action-research project aimed at improving the survival and health of newborn infants and mothers living in slum communities in Mumbai.
Immunoprophylaxis against mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1
(Research Article; Global)
PLoS Medicine. 2006 Jul;3(7):e259.
Gorny MK | Zolla-Pazner S
In resource-limited settings, there is a high risk of mother-to-child-transmission (MTCT) of HIV-1. The rate of MTCT without specific intervention and with an extended time of breast-feeding is about 35% to 40%, a figure that results in the infection of about 750,000 children every year worldwide. The concept of preventing MTCT transmission by passive administration of antibodies, by the use of antibodies and drugs, or by the use of combined active–passive immunization is attracting increasing attention.
Lack of effectiveness of syndromic management in targeting vaginal infections in pregnancy in Entebbe, Uganda
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Sub-Saharan Africa)
Sexually Transmitted Infections. 2006 Jun;82(4):285-289.
Tann CJ | Mpairwe H | Morison L | Nassimu K | Hughes P | Omara M | Mabey D | Muwanga M | Grosskuth H | Elliott AM
Researchers found that prevalence of bacterial vaginosis and trichomoniasis seen in this and other African populations is high. High rates of asymptomatic infection and a tendency of healthcare workers to deviate from management guidelines by following their own personal clinical judgment imply that many vaginal infections remain untreated. Alternative strategies, such as presumptive treatment of BV and TV in pregnancy, should be considered.
MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH NEWS
Breast-feeding reduces anxiety into childhood
(News Article; Global | Europe)
3 Aug 2006
Reuters
Related News Article: Breast feeding and resilience against psychosocial stress
Researchers believe that breast-feeding's calming effects seem to be long-lasting. Years after being weaned, breast-fed children cope better with stressful situations like their parents' divorce than their bottle-fed peers.
MEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH
The impact of including husbands in antenatal health education services on maternal health practices in urban Nepal: results from a randomized controlled trial
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Asia)
Health Education Research. Online access July 19, 2006.
Mullany BC | Becker S | Hindin MJ
A randomized controlled trial was designed to test the impact of involving male partners in antenatal health education on maternal health care utilization and birth preparedness in urban Nepal. Women who received education with husbands were more likely to attend a post-partum visit than women who received education alone or no education. Women who received education with their husbands were also nearly twice as likely as control group women to report making birth preparations.
Polygyny, reproductive success, and child health in rural Ethiopia: why marry a married man?
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Sub-Saharan Africa)
Journal of Biosocial Science. Online access July 3, 2006.
Gibson MA | Mace R
This study examines the reproductive success of men and women in rural Ethiopia as a function of their marital status. Polygamy is beneficial to male reproductive success. The success of polygamously married females depends on wife rank: the first wives of polygamous husbands do better than monogamously married women and much better than second or third wives. The relatively long gap between first and second marriages may mean that first wives of highly marriageable males can enjoy considerable reproductive success before their husbands marry again.
MEN'S HEALTH NEWS
Survey finds male abuse approval
(News Article; Global | Europe)
18 Jun 2006
BBC
More than half of women questioned at a Glasgow university said they approved of wives hitting their husbands. The Glasgow Caledonian students were among 6,500 women surveyed from 36 universities for an international study into attitudes on domestic violence. Of the 200 women, 60% said it was acceptable for women to hit their husbands while 35% admitted assaulting their partner.
POPULATION RESEARCH
An energy-saving development initiative increases birth rate and childhood malnutrition in rural Ethiopia
(Research Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
PLoS Medicine. 2006 Apr;3(4):476-484.
Gibson MA | Mace R
Evolutionary life history theory predicts that, in the absence of contraception, any enhancement of maternal condition can increase human fertility. Energetic trade-offs are likely to be resolved in favor of maximizing reproductive success rather than health or longevity. The authors find support for the hypothesis that development initiatives designed to improve maternal and child welfare may also incur costs associated with increased family sizes if they do not include a family planning component.
POPULATION NEWS
Yen Bai brings down birth rate
(News Article; Asia)
10 Aug 2006
Vietnam News Agency
The mountainous northern province of Yen Bai (Vietnam) owes its success in curbing the birth rate to improved awareness among the province’s people.
AIDS hits Africa's health staff
(News Article; Global | North Africa | Sub-Saharan Africa)
4 Aug 2006
BBC
More African health staff are being lost to AIDS than are being enticed to work abroad, a new study finds.
How many people is too many?
(Commentary; Global | North America)
10 Aug 2006
AlterNet
Everyone from anti-contraception Christians to zero-population-growth advocates is using the US's looming 300-million mark to advance their agenda.
WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH
Mathematical models for predicting the epidemiologic and economic impact of vaccination against human papillomavirus infection and disease
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global)
Epidemiologic Reviews. 2006 Jun 1;28(1):88-100.
Dasbach EJ | Elbasha EH | Insinga RP
Given the absence of data on the long-term effectiveness of HPV vaccination, a number of models have been developed. This paper reviews the state of the three types of HPV models: cohort, population dynamic, and hybrid. All have demonstrated that vaccination can significantly reduce the incidence of cervical cancer in the long term. Since only the population dynamic model can account for both the direct and indirect benefits of vaccination, future research should focus on further development of dynamic models.
Seroprevalence of and risk factors for HIV-1 infection among female commercial sex workers in South America
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global | South America)
Sexually Transmitted Infections. 2006 Jul;82(4):311-316.
Bautista CT | Sanchez JL | Montano SM | Laguna-Torres A | Suarez L | Sanchez J | Campos P | Gallardo C | Mosquera C | Villafane M | Aguayo N | Avila MM | Weissenbacher M | Ramirez E | Child R | Serra M | Aponte C | Mejia A | Velazques N | Gianella A | Perez J | Olson JG | Carr JK
This study is an assessment of HIV prevalence and associated risk behaviors among female commercial sex workers (FCSW) across major cities in South America. Consistently low HIV seroprevalences were detected among FCSW in South America, particularly in the Andean region. Predictors of HIV infection across the continent were STI and length of commercial sex work; however, use of illegal drugs, especially marijuana, and sexual contacts with foreigners were also found to be associated risk factors.
WOMEN'S HEALTH NEWS
Kenya: Imams vow to end FGM in Moyale
(News Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
7 Aug 2006
The East African Standard
Twenty-five imams said most communities in Kenya still practiced female genital mutilation (FGM), erroneously believing that it was a religious rite. "We regret that our communities practice the vice, yet it is clear in the Koran that the practice is contrary to Islamic teachings," said Sheikh Abdinasir Haji Hassan, the local Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims chairman.
Men for sale?
(Feature Article; Global | Europe)
11 Aug 2006
Daily Mail
Usually it is men who are associated with sex tourism. Now women are getting in on the action. Whether they are single or married, some women from the UK are planning their Caribbean vacations as sexual getaways. And while they claim to take due precautions, the fact remains that the HIV rate in the Caribbean is second only to sub-Saharan Africa.
YOUTH HEALTH RESEARCH
Raising the age of marriage for young girls in Bangladesh
(Report; Asia)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Watertown, MA, USA, Pathfinder International, August 2006.
Burket MK
This report describes a 3-year pilot program implemented in one of the poorest areas of Bangladesh. The program provided support for primary and secondary school girls, paramedic training to secondary school graduates, and created community support for girls’ education and delaying marriage through advocacy meetings. Over the course of the program, primary and secondary school enrollment increased, and the incidence of early marriage decreased. The majority of girls who graduated from the paramedic training course have found employment and earn an average salary comparable to a secondary school teacher.
Circle of hope: children's rights in a world with AIDS
(Report; Global)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Woking, UK, Plan International, July 2006.
Decosas J | Davies W | Williams G
Related Press Release: Children deprived of right to protect themselves against HIV says report
This report, from Plan International, details how adolescents in low income countries struggle with a daily conflict between behavior change messages (promoting sexual abstinence, faithfulness, or condom use), and the overwhelming social and economic realities that severely limit their choices of adopting these behaviors. For HIV and AIDS work to be most effective, local children and adults need to take part in devising and implementing solutions. Plan's approach facilitates meaningful participation, to help ensure solutions are locally appropriate and sustainable.
From faith to action: strengthening family and community care for orphans and vulnerable children in Sub-Saharan Africa
(Report; Global | Sub-Saharan Africa)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Santa Cruz, CA, USA, Firelight Foundation, August 2006.
Olson K | Knight ZS | Foster G | Sutherland L
The report points out that children orphaned by AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa are much better cared for within their community rather than orphanages. This publication examines the effectiveness of family and community-based solutions to the growing problem of AIDS orphans.
Adolescents in Malawi
(Fact Sheet; Sub-Saharan Africa)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
New York, NY, USA, Guttmacher Institute, July 2006.
This fact sheet offers preliminary data from a nationally representative, household-based survey of 4,031 youth aged 12–19. The survey was conducted as part of the project Protecting the Next Generation: Understanding HIV Risk Among Youth, undertaken in Malawi by the Guttmacher Institute and the Centre for Social Research in conjunction with ORC Macro, the National Statistical Office of the Government of Malawi and Youth Net and Counselling.
YOUTH HEALTH NEWS
Liberia: HIV/AIDS education, a first for Liberian classrooms
(News Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
8 Aug 2006
Integrated Regional Information Networks
HIV/AIDS will be on the curriculum next month for 10,000 Liberian students at the Lutheran Church School System, the third largest church-school network in Liberia, which has made HIV/AIDS education mandatory in its 40 schools.
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