This study would never have been completed without the generous support of many individuals and organizations. First and foremost, we would like to express our gratitude to Dr. Peter Aggleton, Chief of the Social and Behavioral Studies and Support Unit of the World Health Organization’s Global Programme on AIDS. Not only did Dr. Aggleton provide us with invaluable technical advice, but he was also instrumental in securing WHO funding on our behalf.
We would also like to thank Dr. Ellyn Kaschak of the San Jose State University, California, and Dr. Sara Sharratt of the University of California in Sonoma; both were of great help to our team of researchers and field-workers. Moreover, Dr. Sharratt also assisted in the preparation of the interview guide and in the training of interviewers. Anna Arroba, Coordinator of Gender Programmes at ILPES, and Dr. Doris Sossa were equally generous in their support, with Dr. Sosa in particular providing vital assistance through his interpretation of interview findings and by reviewing earlier drafts of the present work.
Meanwhile, Pilar Saavedra is to be thanked for her timely translations of bibliographical material from English into Spanish, as well as her careful editing of the Spanish text. Maria Laroche was responsible for the English translation of this work.
We must also acknowledge the tireless support provided by a number of ILPES staff members. Administrative director Rodrigo Vargas coordinated all logistical aspects of project implementation, as well as engaging in the transcription and preparation of data for analysis. Rolando Guevara, meanwhile, developed the data base which was subsequently used to organize and analyze the research findings.
In similar fashion, special mention must be made of all those who were involved in the project as interviewers and transcribers. Among the former group are Abelardo Araya, Kattia Castellón, Jenny Castro, Kattia Chinchilla, Larissa Fallas, Glenn Fonseca, Tatiana Fonseca, Tamara Fuster, Carmen Gutiérrez, Allan Guzmán, Marla Hernández, Patricia Jones, Carmen León, Kattia López, Erick Quesada, César Rodríguez, Indira Rodríguez, Fresia Romero, Edgar Salgado, Vanessa Smith, Viria Solís and Luis Villalta.
Transcribers include Víctor Calderón, Shirley Garbanzo, Marielos Gómez, Maritza Gómez, Carmen Gutiérrez, Grettel Gutiérrez, Guiselle Gutiérrez, Ester Jara, Natasha Jiménez, Mayela La Touche, Ana Yancy Madrigal, Hanny Martínez, Maureen Medrano, Randall Medrano, Marco Quirós, Indira Rodríguez, Vanessa Rojas, Maricela Rueda, Ana Lorena Sánchez, Emilia Sancho, Graciela Vásquez and Lucía Zamora.
Finally, we would like to thank the people of 'Villa del Mar' and 'Villa del Sol' for welcoming us into their respective communities, and the young people interviewed for their cooperation and insights. Needless to say, the support of these groups was crucial to the overall success of the project.
The contents of this work, including any errors or omissions, are the responsibility of the authors alone.