Youth in health campaigns.

Abstract

In Guatemala youth have participated in health campaigns designed to vaccinate large populations in a very short time to prevent cholera to provide significant quantities of vitamin A and to disseminate environmental sanitation messages to rural populations in specific target areas. The key to their successful participation is involvement of the education sector. In 1991 youth against cholera groups included students sport and agricultural clubs and other types of popular associations. They used amusing plays developed and written by youth and home visits to promote hygiene. In Honduras young people encouraged by their teachers visited homes to motivate family members to bring their children to be vaccinated. In those cases in which the adults could not bring the children to vaccination sites the youth volunteered to take the children to be vaccinated. In El Salvador youth led parades during the days before the vaccination weekend. They played in bands and carried placards and images of the vaccine-preventable illnesses. The parades mobilized the adults to take action. Persons responsible for designing and implementing health campaigns need to plan and determine appropriate action for youth. For example youth cannot vaccinate children but it would be appropriate for them to record names of vaccinated children. Integration of health campaigns into the educational curricula make the educational process relevant and memorable. Youth participation in health campaigns confers self-confidence and personal satisfaction. Energy and imagination are the most important contributions that youth bring to a health-related problem-solving process. Recognition by the highest officials of the Ministry of Health high quality and appropriate support or reference materials and a symbolic reward system are fundamental requisites for effective youth participation. Poor social communication and social mobilization sometimes characterize health campaigns resulting in a vertical process rather than a process of high social participation.