Radio ADO: A Sexual Education Radio Show Created by Adolescents

This presentation focuses on Radio ADO, a self-sustained radio project working to develop a model teen-operated health education radio show to reach teenagers with sexual and reproductive health education messages in an Entertainment Education format. The project aims to promote health protective factors and prevent risk factors that widely affect adolescents living in the Mexican city of Morelia, Michoacan, and rural areas around it. The radio programme has been designed and conducted from an adolescent's perspective, presenting options for teens to maximise their creativity and to develop communications skills. Simultaneously, the show presents factual and relationship information on topics related to adolescent sexuality, growth and development, pregnancy, abortion, sexually transmitted infections, HIV/AIDS, violence prevention, and peer relations.

Thus far, this educational intervention project has been evaluated through a baseline study, a follow-up survey among Morelia's adolescents, and focus group discussions designed to assess overall exposure to the show and to measure its impact on listeners' health risks and knowledge, attitude, and behaviour towards protection. Adolescent surveys were also conducted in a comparison community, where no such intervention exists.

Throughout the planning and development of the project, Radio ADO has built strong networks with a range of governmental and nongovernmental agencies, private businesses, and individuals that have donated time and services to Radio ADO. In exchange, Radio ADO has opened up for them a radio space that reaches the adolescent population group - one that is usually difficult to access.