teenagers.

That's the view of Bermudian graduate student Miss Margaret Swift who is no stranger to the AIDS issue and the impact it will have on the world by the year 2000.

Miss Swift, who is set to complete her Masters degree in rehabilitation counselling at Northeastern University next June, recently returned from a conference on HIV prevention for youth.

And she told The Royal Gazette she came away from the three-day meeting in Boston with more knowledge about helping youth prevent HIV infection and an eagerness to take on the challenge.

"This focused on all the things around the disease and all high risk behaviour,'' the 24-year-old Agape House volunteer said. "And it all boiled down to family structure, lack of guidance, and building of a child's self-esteem.'' Miss Swift noted that by the year 2000 it was projected that 40 million people will have AIDS, bringing health care costs for this disease alone to $350 billion.

But, she said, this figure could be reduced by having health care workers, educators, and the community work together to educate the public, particularly teens.

One of the reasons Miss Swift was chosen to attend the conference, hosted by Western College Health 2000, was because she runs a peer group called "Sex, lives and Role plays'' at the university.

The group uses skits based on real life circumstances to get its messages across.

"I think by hearing from peers on their own level, the message really gets through,'' she said.

Miss Swift said including AIDS education in the school curriculum could also help.

She said she was really inspired by one speaker at the conference, Dr. Beverly Coleman Miller who described herself as the "right-hand person to the surgeon general''.

Miss Swift said Dr. Miller stressed that AIDS was everyone's problem and there was a need to be caring and non judgmental if it is to be overcome.

She said Dr. Miller also suggested getting frank grandparents involved in talking with young people about the dangers of leading a reckless lifestyle .

"She made you want to get up and help the world,'' Miss Swift said.

Another recommendation from the conference called for the media to take responsibility and realise the impact it has on young people.

Miss Swift noted that there were 20,000 television commercials aired annually which subconsciously tell young people it's all right to indulge in alcohol, sex, or violence.

Of this number, she said, 14,000 referred to sex, one to two thousand were promoting beer and wine and 1,000 depicted rape or assaults.

"We're telling them not to have sex or have safe sex and telling women to be assertive and strong. But all the commercials are showing women depending on men and are usually sexually oriented. If we can get the media involved in this it would surely help.'' Miss Swift was scheduled to meet with Health and Social Services Minister the Hon. Quinton Edness, Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Cann, and Mr. Ray Latter of the Education Department last week to share literature and matters discussed at the conference.

TEEN MESSAGE -- Bermudian graduate student Miss Margaret Swift stands beside one of the posters she picked up at a conference on HIV Prevention for Youth in Boston. Miss Swift hopes the posters will be placed in schools and health facilities frequented by youngsters.