This research study is a follow-up to 'Communicating for action: A contextual evaluation of youth response to HIV/AIDS' (Kelly, 2000) which was based on a survey of youth response to HIV/AIDS in six sentinel sites across South Africa. This report is essentially a qualitative exploration of factors mediating some of the findings of the earlier study. These have previously been analysed and discussed at a descriptive, quantitative level only.

Field research for this study was undertaken between May and August 2000 at six sentinel sites in South Africa. The sites include rural and urban communities and the study draws on a sample of 760 youth and young adults (15-30 years of age).

This research focuses on contextual factors which mediate youth response to HIV/AIDS within specific sites, each with its own unique dynamics. In this report province names are used in association with each site. It must be noted however that the differences between sites are not specific to the provinces where they are located. Rather, these differences relate to the specific contextual features of each site.The data in the report is drawn from the following sources:

• qualitative analysis of responses to open ended questionnaire items collected in stage one of this project;
• further analysis of focus group material collected in stage one of this project;
• fourteen focus groups conducted with youth in these sites;
• twelve interviews conducted on sex communication and sexual debut;
• a focus group and interviews around a youth project in one site.