2015 AL State Nurses Association Annual Convention

2015 Alabama State Nurses Association Annual Convention
Improving Adolescent Health through STD, HIV and
Unintended Pregnancy Awareness
WHEREAS
WHEREAS
WHEREAS
WHEREAS
WHEREAS
WHEREAS
WHEREAS
WHEREAS
RESOLVED
RESOLVED
RESOLVED
young adults engage in sexual risk behaviors that can result in unintended health outcomes such as
sexually transmitted disease (STDs), HIV, and pregnancy; and
new HIV infections occur primarily among young adults 15-29 years of age; and
nationwide there are over 50,000 new HIV infections annually, fifty percent are in the Southeast; and
according to CDC (2012), 47.4% of adolescents had ever had sexual intercourse 33.7% had had sexual
intercourse during the previous 3 months, and of these, 39.8% did not use a condom the last time
they had sex, 76.7% (of those who are sexually active) did not use birth control pills or Depo-Provera
to prevent pregnancy; and
schools not only have access to students 6 hours during 13 critical years of their social, physical, and
intellectual development, they are primarily responsible for improving youth development; and
behavioral patterns established during these periods influence current health status and risks for
developing chronic disease in adulthood; and
FOCUS promotes school and community partnerships for the prevention of HIV/AIDS and other
adolescent risk behaviors. The program is based on a student led approach and seeks to promote
youth involvement in the planning of prevention activities. The class includes: FOCUS group training,
peer helping, peer mediation, peer tutoring, violence prevention, and positive decision making skills.
Other features of the program include planning monthly health observances, a yearly school health fair,
and service learning. Teacher training is provided through various Regional Education In-service
Centers; and
FOCUS is being replicated throughout the State of Alabama. The program is supported by the Alabama
State Department of Education; Governor’s Commission on AIDS, community based organizations and
local education associations. Therefore be it:
that ASNA will work through The Focus Program http://thefocusprogram.com/ to promote continuing
education that is developmentally age-appropriate for participating school nurses on the topics of STD
and unintended pregnancy prevention, HIV awareness; and be it further
partner with other stakeholders such as the Alabama Association of School Nurses (AASN) to begin
conversing regarding roadmap to bring the National HIV/AIDS Strategy to fruition.
that the ASNA will publish an article in The Alabama Nurse and provide developmentally appropriate
links to pertinent resources related to topics of STD and unintended pregnancy prevention, and HIV
awareness; and be it further
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