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I. PROGRAM RESOURCES
1. Building Demand for Reproductive Health Awareness among Adolescent Girls in Conflict Affected Districts of Nepal (BuD for RH)
2. Country Profiles for Population and Reproductive Health: Policy Developments and Indicators 2005
3. Death and Denial: Unsafe Abortion and Poverty
4. Female Genital Cutting/Mutilation: A Statistical Exploration 2005
5. Girls Formerly Associated with Fighting Forces and Their Children: Returned and Neglected
6. Honour Related Violence: Prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls in Patriarchal Families
7. Integration of Reproductive Health and Family Planning Services into Health and Non-Health Programs
8. International Resilience Project
9. Ray of Hope Newsletter
10. Strengthening Family Planning Policies and Programs in Developing Countries: An Advocacy Toolkit
11. Strengthening the Psychosocial Well-Being of Youth-Headed Households in Rwanda: Baseline Findings from an Intervention Trial
12. Stop Violence Against Us!
13. What is the Evidence on Effectiveness of Empowerment to Improve Health?
14. Working to Improve the Reproductive and Sexual Health of Young People: Save the Children's Experiences in Bhutan, Malawi, Nepal, and Vietnam
15. The World's Youth 2006 Data Sheet
II. RESEARCH SUMMARIES
1. Contraceptive use among in- and out-of-school adolescents in rural Southwest Uganda
2. Perceptions of sexual risk behaviours and substance abuse among adolescents in South Africa: A qualitative investigation
3. Psychosocial support and marginalization of youth-headed households in Rwanda
4. Risk behaviors of 15-21-year-olds in Mexico lead to a high prevalence of sexually transmitted infections: results of a survey in disadvantaged urban areas
5. Safe sex versus safe love? Relationship context and condom use among male adolescents in the favelas of Recife, Brazil
6. Social and psychological factors associated with willingness to test for HIV infection among young people in Botswana
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I. PROGRAM RESOURCES
1. Building Demand for Reproductive Health Awareness among Adolescent Girls in Conflict Affected Districts of Nepal (BuD for RH) (2005, PDF, 541 KB)
This report provides the midterm evaluation results of a project addressing the literacy and reproductive health needs of 10-19-year-old Nepalese girls in conflict-affected settings. The evaluation presents general demographic characteristics, knowledge and perceptions of reproductive health, and knowledge on birth spacing.
Contact: crehpa@crehpa.wlink.com.np
2. Country Profiles for Population and Reproductive Health: Policy Developments and Indicators 2005 (2006, PDF, 3.89 MB or HTML)
This report details population policy and program information for all countries, with indicators on adolescent reproductive health.
Contact: martinez@unfpa.org
3. Death and Denial: Unsafe Abortion and Poverty (2006, PDF, 684 KB)
This report provides an overview of unsafe abortion across the globe, a situation which is described as both a cause and consequence of poverty. Written to provoke discussion on an often taboo subject, the report includes statistics, brief case studies, and country profiles.
Contact: info@ippf.org
4. Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Statistical Exploration 2005 (2006, PDF, 1.3 MB)
This study presents estimates of the prevalence of FGM/C across the globe and sociodemographic factors that affect the practices. Statistics are discussed in conjunction with cultural and religious beliefs, education, and recommendations.
Contact: childinfo@unicef.org
5. Girls Formerly Associated with Fighting Forces and Their Children: Returned and Neglected (2006, PDF, 136 KB)
This paper discusses the challenges faced by girls involved in military conflicts as they work to provide for their children and reintegrate into their communities. In addition to analyzing cultural, social, and psychological factors, the paper also provides strategies for working with them.
Contact: info@child-soldiers.org
6. Honour Related Violence: Prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls in Patriarchal Families (2005, PDF, 2.7 MB)
This manual is designed to help professionals who come in contact with groups affected by honor-related violence, including youth and adults of both sexes. It aims to spread the experience of experts and place honor-related violence in the larger context of gender and social inclusion. Topics covered include sexuality, social inclusion, and patriarchal power structures.
Contact: info@kvinnoforum.se
7. Integration of Reproductive Health and Family Planning Services into Health and Non-Health Programs (2005, PDF, 288 KB)
This report provides three case studies describing the integration of reproductive health and family planning activities into other sectors, including HIV/AIDS, conservation, and life skills for adolescents.
Contact: npruyn@advanceafrica.org
8. International Resilience Project (2006, PDF, 2.71 MB)
This document describes the International Resilience Project, which uses both quantitative and qualitative tools to examine youth and their ability to positively respond to challenges. It includes descriptions, case studies, and data from study sites in 11 countries or regions: Canada, United States, Colombia, Gambia, Tanzania, South Africa, Palestine, Israel, India, Hong Kong, and Russia.
Contact: irp@dal.ca
9. Ray of Hope Newsletter (2005, PDF, 1.35 MB)
The Hope for African Children Initiative (HACI) produced a brief newsletter describing the impact of HIV/AIDS as well as how children, their caregivers, and communities have worked to mitigate the challenges caused by HIV/AIDS.
Contact: hacisecretariat@hacisecretariat.org
10. Strengthening Family Planning Policies and Programs in Developing Countries: An Advocacy Toolkit (2006, PDF, 1.15 MB)
This manual provides step-by-step advice to community and national staff to promote family planning agendas. It includes chapters on family planning and maternal and infant mortality, economic growth, prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS, gender equity, adolescent reproductive health, and advocacy as well as models, frameworks, and tools.
Contact: mprosser@futuresgroup.com
11. Strengthening the Psychosocial Well-Being of Youth-Headed Households in Rwanda: Baseline Findings from an Intervention Trial (2006, PDF, 316 KB)
This research update from the Horizons project describes an intervention in Rwanda with youth-headed households examining the effectiveness of a mentorship model whereby an adult provides psychosocial support to orphaned youth. Key findings include the challenges of: meeting basic needs, psychosocial distress, feelings of isolation, low perception of risk for HIV, differences between males and females, and feelings of resiliency and hope.
Contact: horizons@pcdc.org
12. Stop Violence Against Us! (2006, PDF, 9.37 MB)
This national report examines three types of violence against children in Cambodia: sexual abuse, domestic violence, and corporal punishment. Included are statistics about the extent of violence in Cambodia, the effect of violence on children, policies and laws related to abuse, perceptions from children about the three types of violence, and recommendations for governments, researchers, and NGOs.
Contact: tearfund@camnet.com.kh
13. What is the Evidence on Effectiveness of Empowerment to Improve Health? (2006, PDF, 359 KB)
This synthesis report discusses the effectiveness of empowerment strategies on health outcomes; it finds that empowerment is a complex strategy that can lead to improved health outcomes but is dependent on the agencies, leadership, and context in which they are implemented. The paper includes discussions on youth empowerment, women's empowerment, and empowerment of people at risk for HIV/AIDS.
Contact: publicationrequests@euro.who.int
14. Working to Improve the Reproductive and Sexual Health of Young People: Save the Children's Experiences in Bhutan, Malawi, Nepal, and Viet Nam (2006, PDF, 2.29 MB)
This document reviews adolescent sexual and reproductive health programs focused on three broad themes: availability and access to quality services; empowering and building the capacity of youth; and building social and political support for youth. Youth participation, intergenerational partnerships, and addressing gender inequities were key components of the projects. In-depth profiles of project activities and lessons learned from each country are included.
Contact: publications@savechildren.org
15. The World's Youth 2006 Data Sheet (2006, PDF, 329 KB)
This statistical chart covers the most important issues in the lives of adolescents including gender disparities, child labor, health, and education.
Contact: popref@prb.org
II. RESEARCH SUMMARIES
1. Contraceptive use among in- and out-of-school adolescents in rural Southwest Uganda. Batwala VK, Nuwaha F, Mulogo EM, et al. East Afr Med J 2006;83(1).
To compare the level of contraceptive use among in- and out-of-school rural Ugandan adolescents, researchers compared 500 in-school and 220 out-of-school adolescents aged 15-19 years. Contraceptive prevalence was 171 (23.8 percent), with 99 among in-school (19.8 percent of in-school) and 72 in out-of-school youth (32.7 percent of out-of-school). Of the 286 who had had sexual intercourse, 171 (60 percent) were current users with 99 (58 percent) in-school and 72 (42 percent) out-of-school. The predominant method was the male condom with 80 users (56.7 percent) in-school and 61 users (43.3 percent) out-of-school. Sixty-five (67 percent) of the in-school youth aged 18-19 used contraceptives, compared to those less than 18 years (n=33, 45 percent). The out-of-school youth who were urban residents (75 percent) were more likely to use contraceptives. Out-of-school youth with secondary education (n=37) were more likely to use contraceptives. Cost was a barrier for contraceptive use among in-school users (77 percent). Stigma surrounding their sexual activity was a barrier to out-of-school youth (58 percent).
2. Perceptions of sexual risk behaviours and substance abuse among adolescents in South Africa: A qualitative investigation. Morojele NK, Brook JS, Kachieng'a MA. AIDS Care 2006;18(3).
This study examined South African adolescents' beliefs and attitudes regarding drug use and sexual risk behaviors, and relationships between the two behaviors. Researchers held 11 single-gender focus groups among male and female students in Grades 8 and 11 from three schools in Cape Town. The adolescents opined that drugs' reinforcing effects were the main factor underlying their use, and that sexual risk behaviors resulted from girls' limited power in sexual relationships, boys' perceived invulnerability to HIV infection, and the positive social status associated with having multiple partners. Drug use was considered to exacerbate underlying vulnerabilities to risky sexual behavior, mainly due to the drugs' effects on adolescent inhibitions, rational thinking, and safer sex negotiation skills. The findings suggest that adolescent HIV intervention programs should address the risks posed by drug use on sexual behavior.
3. Psychosocial support and marginalization of youth-headed households in Rwanda. Thurman TR, Snider L, Boris N, et al. AIDS Care 2006;18(3).
This research characterizes the psychosocial aspects of well-being among youth-headed households (YHH) in Gikongoro, Rwanda, through the examination of social support and marginalization. Authors presented data on perceived availability of support from relatives, an unidentified adult, peers, and other community members, and an index of social marginalization. A total of 692 interviews were completed with households headed by youth aged 13-24 years who are beneficiaries of a basic needs program. Sixteen percent of youth reported there was no one they felt they could go to with a problem. In times of need, only 24 percent felt relatives would help them, while 57 percent felt neighbors would offer assistance. Most youth reported significant caring relationships: 73 percent reported access to a trusted adult who offers them advice and guidance, and most indicated close peer relationships. However, many youth also perceived a lack of community support, with 86 percent feeling rejected by the community and 57 percent feeling the community would rather hurt them than help them. Social support is a low-cost critical resource for the care of vulnerable youth, and an understanding of existing social support networks would enhance the design and implementation of psychosocial and community-based care initiatives.
4. Risk behaviors of 15-21-year-olds in Mexico lead to a high prevalence of sexually transmitted infections: results of a survey in disadvantaged urban areas. Gutierrez J-P, Bertozzi SM, Conde-Glez CJ, Sanchez-Aleman MA. BMC Public Health 2006;6.
Researchers conducted a survey among adolescents from poor homes in 204 urban areas of Mexico to measure risk behaviors and socioeconomic environment. A subgroup of the participants also provided blood and urine samples, which were analyzed to detect sexually transmitted infections. The presence of Chlamydia was detected in nearly eight percent of participants who had stated that they were sexually active (18 percent) and approximately 12 percent were positive for herpes type 2-specific antibodies. For both, a greater proportion of girls resulted positive compared to boys. The presence of these biological outcomes of sexual risk behavior was associated with other risk behaviors (smoking), but not with self-reported indicators of protected sex (reported use of condom during most recent sexual activity).
5. Safe sex versus safe love? Relationship context and condom use among male adolescents in the favelas of Recife, Brazil. Juarez F, Martin TC. Arch Sex Behav 2006;35(1).
Researchers collected data on 1,438 adolescent males aged 13-19 residing in favelas (urban slum areas) of Recife, Brazil. A logistic regression analysis of condom use at last sexual intercourse and a multinomial logit analysis of contraceptive method choice were performed for 678 sexually active adolescents. Educational attainment, degree of knowledge of HIV transmission and prevention, and condom use at first sexual intercourse were found to be significantly associated with current condom use. Analysis revealed that adolescent males in steady relationships were less likely to use condoms, less likely to regard themselves at risk of HIV infection, and more concerned about pregnancy prevention than adolescents in casual relationships. Differentials in condom use by type of relationship, however, did not result from a higher rejection of contraception by steady partners but from their higher likelihood to rely on other contraceptive methods. Results suggest that prevention campaigns need to take into account the intimate context where adolescents assess potential health risks, and to address the divergent symbolic meanings condoms may have in different types of relationships.
6. Social and psychological factors associated with willingness to test for HIV infection among young people in Botswana. Fako TT. AIDS Care 2006;18(3).
In spite of extensive campaigns to promote voluntary counseling and testing through the radio, television, newspapers and mass rallies, testing for HIV remains a challenge in Botswana. Using a representative sample of 1,294 students from secondary schools and tertiary institutions, this study investigates the effects of sociodemographic background variables, family coherence, interpersonal relations, sexual experience, and knowledge about sexual health on willingness to test for HIV infection. The results show that willingness to test for HIV infection was negatively associated with being sexually active and having a number of partners. Indicators of family, coherence, psychological bonding, and personal adjustment such as common residence among parents, emotional support from the family attachment to parents, happiness with life in general, and satisfaction with life as a student were associated with willingness to test. The importance of sexual activity, number of partners, happiness with life in general, level of attachment to father, and physical fights with other children were identified as the social and psychological predictors of willingness to test for HIV.
