ABSTRACT
Considering the fact that information on HIV/AIDS is a strategy for disease control, this project was planned to provide comprehensive information about HIV infection and AIDS to schoolteachers and their students. Previous analysis of adolescent students' knowledge of HIV/AIDS showed that they still have doubts about transmission, diagnosis, and treatment. Thus we provided them with dynamic educational activities on the subject. Schoolteachers, students, and researchers worked together for 3 years developing HIV/AIDS educational material and activities such as theater plays, a first reader, games, and musical performances.
The material produced by schoolteachers, students, and researchers in this multidisciplinary approach should be a way to promote prevention by fostering reflection and discussion regarding the disease process, HIV infection, and an understanding of the disease transmission. These creative, interactive activities may improve understanding on HIV/AIDS, and enhance school community assurance through the diffusion of information on HIV/AIDS to Brazilian society.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors express their gratitude to the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP), the Cell Therapy Center (CTC)—Blood Center Foundation and Fundo de Cultura e Extensão Universitária da Pró-Reitoria de Cultura e Extensão Universitária da Universidade de São Paulo (Brazil) for their financial support. The authors also thank Sandra Navarro Bresciani, Vinicius Godoi Moreno, and Luiz Fernando Ribas for the preparation of figures and the first edition of the reader.
We dedicate this article to all the schoolteachers and students that took part in the project, donating their free time to convey knowledge for the prevention of HIV/AIDS in Brazil. The Proseguir Group included the following: Adriana M. Tavares, Ailton J. Venturi, Alessandra R. Puccia, Angela M. T. Sarni, Cláudio Paris, Daniela Carlos, Fernanda Andreoli, Jeremias Daniel, Karina Garbelini, Luciana M. Bimbati, Maria Lúcia G. Alves, Marilice C. Gabellini, Marisa Z. Sassi, Rachel R. Ballejo, Ricardo S. de Souza, Sueli L. V. Garcia, Tânia M. F. S. Martins, and Uriel Assan.
These authors contributed equally for this work.
Grupo ProSeguir is a group constituted by eighteen schoolteachers from private and public schools, Riberirao Preto region, São Paulo, Brazil.