Girls' schooling in Tanzania: the key to HIV/AIDS prevention?
This article explores the relationship between schooling for girls and HIV/AIDS prevention in the United Republic of Tanzania. It is based on a survey administered to upper-level primary school students in rural Tanzania designed to ascertain their numeracy and literacy skills as well as their knowledge of HIV/AIDS. The findings show that female students generally have stronger literacy and numeracy skills but less knowledge about HIV/AIDS than their male counterparts. This suggests that general education may not be the best vaccine against HIV/AIDS for young women; rather, AIDS-specific education and skills training may be required to increase the likelihood of prevention because of gender differences in how young people utilize knowledge acquired in school.
Vavrus
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Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006266:Health Education / Q000592:standards*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012572:School Health Services; D012737:Sex Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology