9 Are you at risk (part 1)

1. Divide the class into small groups (preferably 6 or 12 students in each group) and assign a leader to each group (to report back to the class and to direct and motivate the group).

2. Give each group a list of 6 behaviours/actions (you will have to repeat some lists if you have more than 6 groups).

3. Read the “How?” section to all of the students and explain to them how HIV can spread and the four risk levels (from the activity sheet).

4. Then assign them the task of determining the risk level for each of their 6 behaviours/actions. Also assign the questions under “Teacher asks” to each group.

5. Write the 4 risk levels on the blackboard with lots of space for the students to write the numbers of the various behaviours/actions (see example below) or go over the 36 behaviours/actions having each group report their results (see next page).

6. Review each behaviour/action when the students have finished writing on the board. Try to determine where the “No agreement” activities would go.

The answers are listed on the next page. There may be some questions about some of the behaviours/actions and if the doubt is reasonable allow that activity to be in more than one category. The high risk related to ejaculation into the mouth during oral sex and the low risk related to oral sex without semen in the mouth, might have to be discussed.

7. Have students place the correct risk factor for all 36 activities on their activity sheets (if they have been distributed to each student).

Group 1

NR 1. Body to body rubbing with clothes on.
HR 2. Sharing a razor to shave legs or face.
HR 3. Having sex with a condom - condom breaks.
NR 4. Back rub - massage.
NR 5. Riding on a bus with an HIV-infected person.
HR 6. Cutting the skin with a knife used by others.

Group 2

NR 1. Using toilets in a public washroom.
HR 2. Sharing needles for injection drug use.
NR 3. Being bitten by a mosquito.
NR 4. Dry kissing.
HR 5. Having vaginal sex without a condom.
HR 6. Cleaning up spilled HIV-infected blood without wearing gloves

Group 3

HR 1. Having anal sex without a condom.
NR 2. Abstaining from sexual intercourse.
HR 3. Sharing needles for ear-piercing.
NR 4. Shaking hands with an HIV-infected person.
LR 5. Having oral sex (without semen in the mouth).
NR 6. Swimming with an HIV-infected person.

Group 4

HR 1. Sharing needles for tattooing.
NR 2. Sharing clothes with someone who has HIV.
NR 3. Donating blood.
NR 4. Eating food prepared by an HIV-infected person.
HR 5. Having sex with a number of partners - no condom.
NR 6. Going to school with an HIV-infected person.

Group 5

NR 1. Using public drinking fountains.
LR 2. Giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation (if there are no sores in the mouth).
HR 3. Having unprotected sex with an STD- infected person.
NR 4. Playing sports with an HIV-infected person.
HR 5. Sharing a needle cleaned with water.
NR 6. Being close to an HIV-infected person who coughs or sneezes.

Group 6

HR 1. Being bitten by an HIV-infected person.
LR 2. Wet (deep) kissing.
LR 3. Having sex using a condom properly.
NR 4. Sharing a towel with an HIV-infected person.
NR 5. Touching or comforting someone living with AIDS.
HR 6. Having sex using the same condom more than once.

8. Discuss the answers to the questions under “Teacher asks”.

Some young people become very afraid of HIV/AIDS.

a) Why do you think they are so afraid?

- their information is not very accurate;
- the illness is serious and fatal;
- they are unaware of how it can be transmitted;
- they may have participated in risky behaviours.

b) What could be done to prevent this fear of HIV/AIDS?

- get more reliable and accurate information;
- talk to a medical expert;
- get tested for HIV;
- be aware of your risk behaviours.