Abstract:

In the process of transition to higher education, young people are confronted with new experiences and with re-establishing more intimate relationships, growing independence from the family and broader social interaction. Infection by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is one of the greatest social and sanitary problems in the world. Therefore, during this transition phase we must promote healthy behaviour through health education.
The aims of this study is to classify education strategies for health which are already applied, resources used and assessment made.
There was a participation of 1854 students (60.7% females) aged between 17 and 68 years, (M=21.76 ± 4.43), in the first and last years of higher education in the North and Centre regions of the country. The protocol for information collection includes personal and academic data, an assessment scale for health education on AIDS (EAES) created for this end.
The students in the health field in their first year show the best perception in assessing health education. Nevertheless, 36.4% of the sample assessed health education on AIDS as inadequate.
We found that there are various ways to carry out health education directed at young people, but not all of them were equally effective. We think that changes to the models of health education pertaining to HIV/AIDS are required, since the ones in place are not showing a satisfactory lever of effectiveness. On the other hand, in Portugal there is no structured and organised health education which motivates young people to changing their behaviour. Although many of them have knowledge, they do not change their risk behaviour.

Keywords:

Health education, AIDS, young people.