Programs Take Aim at Reducing Sky-High STD Rates in Rural Alaska
With the STD and teen pregnancy rates so high in rural Alaska,
several programs hope to educate young people and get them
talking about sex. One such program, “I Know Mine,” provides a
website with health advice on topics such as drugs, alcohol,
smoking, and sex. The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
(ANTHC) developed the website four years ago after visiting
rural villages to find out the type of sex education rural youth
might welcome. The “I Know Mine” website provides information on
STDs, sexual health, where to get tested, a link for users to
receive free condoms, and includes a variety of heath topics,
such as healthy relationships, nutrition, and emotional help.
Another program called “P.H.A.T.” (Promoting Health Among
Teens—Comprehensive Abstinence and Safer Sex Intervention)
trains peer educators—youth aged 14 to 21—to share the program
with other youth. Through a behavior intervention model, peer
educators use role-playing exercis