ABSTRACT
Numerous challenges confront educators as they create HIV/AIDS prevention education programs that meet the diverse needs of children, youth, and young adults. Individuals’ decisions to engage in HIV-risk behaviors must be considered in light of family and cultural values, language, and religious considerations. Educators must acknowledge these perspectives and design programs and strategies that reduce the spread of disease. This chapter addresses (a) the current status of HIV/ AIDS globally and in the United States; (b) variables that contribute to growth of the epidemic, especially among the nation’s various racial, ethnic, and cultural communities; and (c) principles of health behavior change that facilitate educators’ understanding of the beliefs and attitudes that underlie HIV-risk behaviors.
