Education: An antidote for the spread of HIV/AIDS

There are growing fears about the rate at which AIDS is spreading across the globe today, particularly in Africa. In 20 years, AIDS has become the greatest pandemic ever, and indications are that it will continue to increase. Because there is no universally accepted curative drug for the treatment of the epidemic, this report describes an attempt at providing education as a preventive method for the spread of the deadly disease. It is also an attempt to rise to this challenge by a systematic analysis of appropriate theories that can lead to insight into the epidemic. An empirical approach will further add to scholarly understanding and much-desired solutions. Suggestions are offered on how to achieve these goals through integration of HIV/AIDS education into school curricula, and how nursing practice can help in the education about and treatment of the disease. This report is the first part of a two-phased study from a sociologic point of view of an emergent universal health problem.