Adolescents and youth need information in order to make such responsible choices in terms of sexual behaviour/relationship. They also need to integrate and personalize this information or knowledge so that they can make healthy choices. Young people learn a great deal from each other and by sharing ideas and experiences amongst themselves. Peer influence is a great motivating factor in the adoption of specific behaviour patterns. Therefore, correct information and values imparted to one group of young people will be passed on to the other young people. Young people who have developed greater self-esteem and mutually supportive relationships are less vulnerable to peer and other pressures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: STUDY DESIGN: Cross sectional study, STUDY PERIOD: The study was carried out from June 2011 to December 2011. RESULTS: 77.83% of participants had heard of HIV/AIDS, among them only 74.06% of participants had written correct abbreviation of HIV and 83.56% knew that causative agent of HIV/AIDS as virus, 75.26% had written correct abbreviation of AIDS. 77.07% of participants gave correct response HIV/AIDS awareness symbol as red ribbon. 39.37% of participants knew how to prevent HIV/AIDS. 44.95% participants knew that mosquito bite from HIV/AIDS infected person will not transmit HIV virus. 57.62% of participants knew that IV drug abuse will spread HIV virus. 87.63% of participants knew that HIV/AIDS status can be confirmed by blood test. 56.56% of participants who knew that sharing a meal with HIV/AIDS infected person will not transmit HIV virus. 57.47% of participants who knew that using public toilets will not spread HIV virus. CONCLUSION: Education is currently the only means of preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS. The education which is needed to protect adolescents from the virus and subsequent disease involves changes at many levels. Individuals and systems have to make changes in their thinking, behaviour, attitudes, beliefs and policies.

INTRODUCTION: Cytology, today, is widely used for detection of lesions in the cervix. The realization that invasive cancer of the cervix is preceded by recognizable precancerous histological and cytological changes was one of the most basic contributions that aroused greater interest in the possibility of preventing cancer by early cytological detection. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study is to investigate the incidence of different epithelial abnormalities of the cervix in menopausal and perimenopausal women and compare them with the incidence found in reproductive age group. METHODOLOGY: It is a cross sectional observational study. This study was undertaken to study the cytological features of various lesions in the uterine cervix of different age group patients attending the Gynecological outpatient department of Aparna Maternity and General Hospital, Nagole, Hyderabad from January 2011 to January 2013. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Women of reproductive, perimenopausal (from 40 years) and menopausal age group coming to Out Patient Department for Gynecological checkup. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: Women with following history were excluded from the study: Menstruating / active vaginal bleeding, Inaccessible cervix (due to cervical stenosis or cervix is in flush with vagina), Pregnant women, Hysterectomized women. RESULTS: In this study, satisfactory cervical smear for evaluation were obtained in 953 cases (95.3%). These smear contained squamous epithelial cells spreaded over more than 10% of the slide surface and there were accompanied endocervical cell clusters. In 42 cases (4.2%), the cervical smears were satisfactory, but limited by lack of an endocervical component. In the remaining five patients (0.5%), the cervical smears were sparsely cellular and obscured by blood and mucinous material. In these five cases, smears were unsatisfactory for evaluation. The study shows the incidence of the clinical lesions in the female genital tract. The incidences of SIL and Frank cancer are, highly associated with the suspicious cervix of about 21 %. CONCLUSION: The present study reveals the incidence of different epithelial abnormalities of the cervix in menopausal women compared there with incidence found in women of reproductive age. The present study revealed a high incidence of LSIL and Frank cancer in Menopausal women. Both SIL and cervical carcinoma are associated with multiparity and were commonly observed in women with suspicious cervix and those presenting with bleeding problems. Hence to conclude, cytological screening is mandatory for early detection of SIL, treatment of which would assist in checking in progression of the diseases.

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