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Editorial

A Special Issue on HIV/AIDS R. Morgan Pigg, Jr.

his issue of the Journal of School Health provides a rich resource of informa- T tion on a pressing public health concern of our time - HIV/AIDS. The first portion of the issue presents material from a project entitled, “Supports for Children with HIV Infection in School,” which produced best practices guidelines for supporting HIV-positive students in school. The latter portion of the issue reprints the full text from the National Commission on AIDS report, “Preventing HIV/AIDS in Adolescents,” one of the final works produced by the Commission.

With support from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, project directors Allen C. Crocker, MD, and Judith S . Palfrey, MD, of Children’s Hospital in Boston, Mass., and Project Coordinator Alison Lavin, conducted a survey to determine how the nation’s 100 largest school districts work with HIV-positive students. Survey findings were presented at the conference, “Supports for Children With HIV Infection in School,” held April 1, 1993, in Boston. Draft guidelines were presented and refined at the conference, with subsequent follow- up and review by conference attendees and other professionals.

synthesize the best thinking from the conferees and our nation’s largest school districts on how to meet the special needs of HIV-positive students at school. The guidelines are contained in this issue, printed both in English and Spanish. Also, several interesting background papers and research reports from the conference accompany the guidelines. One paper, “Schoolchildren with HIV Infection: A Survey of the Nation’s Largest School Districts,” by Palfrey et a1 describes procedures involved in conducting the survey. Likewise, school health service personnel may find the paper, “School Health Services in the Age of AIDS,” by Lavin et a1 particularly relevant to professional practice.

This issue also contains the complete text from the National Commission on AIDS report, “Preventing HIV/AIDS in Adolescents” released in June 1993. Derived from public hearings in Chicago, Ill. (March 13, 1991); New Orleans, La. (May 18-19, 1992); Kansas City, Mo., and Kansas City, Kan. (June 15-16, 1992); and Austin, Tex. (March 10-11, 1993), the report provides a comprehensive look from a national perspective at the unique aspects of HIV prevention for youth. The report discusses the important role of schools in HIV prevention within the broader context of society’s responsibilities in addressing the needs of these youth. The report also offers seven recommendations that provide a foundation upon which a national response to HIV/AIDS among adolescents can be based.

Director of the National Commission on AIDS, and to his staff, for their assistance in providing background materials concerning the Commission’s work in developing the report. We hope you find this issue helpful in your work with

The “best practices guidelines” eventually derived from the project

The Journal staff extends appreciation to Dr. Roy Widdus, former Executive

advocacy, public education, policy development, and professional practice.

R. Morgan Pigg, Jr., HSD, MPH, FASHA, Editor, Journal of School Health. and Professor and Chair, Dept. of Health Science Education, FLGJ , University of Florida, Gainesville. FL 3261 I .

Journal of School Health January 1994, Vol. 64, No. 1 7