ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an up-to-date overview of research relevant to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and sexual health among young people, reflecting on trends and considering future research agenda. The chapter addresses three dimensions: (1) research on trends in the prevalence of HIV and AIDS, STIs and sexual behaviour; (2) developments in research on interventions to address them; and (3) research on challenges of delivering these interventions. Since the advent of the AIDS epidemic, research has concentrated on the first two dimensions, that is, measuring the extent and reasons to which sub-populations are affected and developing technologies and approaches to address them. Less research focus has been on understanding effective mechanisms for and challenges of delivering them in public and non-public endeavours. Yet without enhancing the effectiveness of their delivery, young people will continue to miss out on proven interventions. The chapter was based on a review of published and unpublished literature in the public domain. It is written to reach a wider audience; those who are familiar and those who might be unfamiliar with the subject of HIV and AIDS, STIs and sexual health among young people. The chapter is structured thus: the extent of the problem is first addressed, then the next section addresses intervention programmes, followed by the challenges of service delivery, and finally future research outlook.
