Starting Early

This young man is looking at a safe sex booklet distributed during the parade for International AIDS Day in San Pedro de Macorís. He may look a little young to be getting sex lessons. However, there was one large study of high school students in Santo Domingo that found the median age for first sexual contact for girls was about 12 years old. So, getting to young people earlier rather than later is probably prudent.
Another issue is whether 'prevention' programs really prevent anything. For example, a popular anti-drug use campaign that has been functioning for years in the USA has been found to have no effect on young people's drug use despite the costs and efforts over many years.
Consequences are not always what is intended or expected. Evaluation is a constant concern and process.
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