The Latest about HIV and AIDS

Gr 7 Up—This informative, comprehensive film explains how HIV is transmitted and can lead to AIDS, debunks myths, and explains behaviors that put people at risk for infection. Diverse, well-spoken HIV-positive teenagers and young adults tell their moving stories throughout the program. There are also scientific and medical explanations of how the disease enters and develops in the body. Graphics make complex concepts accessible. The film covers the risky behaviors for contracting the virus (as well as low-risk behaviors) and provides a detailed exploration of the testing process. There is information about the difference between "confidential" and "anonymous" testing, and a list of questions teens should ask a testing site about parental involvement and access to medical records. While cautioning young people that HIV/AIDS is a devastating disease that can be prevented, the film also stresses that infected individuals can thrive. The experts featured—from clinic directors to HIV counselors—are well-spoken and communicate clearly and without condescension. This well-made, informative production would be an asset in middle and high school health curriculums.—Jess deCourcy Hinds, Bard High School Early College Queens, Long Island City, NY