16 Communications and social marketing programs are key interventions for youth because they reach and inform people who are especially tuned in to popular culture. An evaluation of the campaign's first phase, conducted after about 18 months of activities, showed that significantly more Ugandan youth now know how to protect themselves from HIV infection. A Zaire mass media project used television, radio spots, and songs specially created to address AIDS issues. Impact evaluation conducted six months after the first phase of the project showed increased awareness of the issues surrounding AIDS, increased sexual abstinence and mutual fidelity, and increased condom use. The Ghanaian Ministry of Health conducted a multimedia campaign to increase AIDS awareness and promote AIDS prevention among its population aged 15-30.
Adult support can make a difference in levels of youth participation.
As a result of efforts made to gain community support in an area of Kenya in which adults usually limit the involvement of girls in public events, large numbers of girls participated in an AIDS prevention project. However, such service additions must be accompanied by clear protocols, appropriate training, and sufficient and suitable clinic space for providers and clients, as demonstrated in a South African health facility. Young people frequently prefer their peers as a source of information about reproductive health. Although there is often high peer turnover in reproductive health and HIV peer-education projects, the strong positive impact of the work on the peer educators themselves may justify their use. Skills-based training is recommended for peers working in AIDS prevention programs.