1. The first program is relatively cheap since once a recording is made, it can be played continuously. Estimated Cost : <$10,000
2. The second program will take some government action, but there is only a need to adjust factory production. Estimated Cost : <$1,000,000
3. The third program is the most expensive because of the sheer size of the NYC public school system and the population of Queens. Instruction is required somewhere around $50 an individual. A plausible number for peer educators is 1 for every 15 students. Considering the average size of junior high and high schools combined is close to 2000 (47), 2000/15 is approximately 135. Training 135 individuals at $50 each is about $7000. There are about 80 middle schools and 60 high schools in Queens. So there are about 70 average middle and high schools combined in which the program would be implemented. $7000 * 70 = $49000 and this program would need to be kept up for at least 20 years to actually have an effect.
Estimated Cost : about $10 million
This is not as big of a number as it seems though because the New York City public school system has an annual budget of $17 billion (46). Essentially $10 million dollars is less than 1 thousandth of the total budget.
The benefit that can be obtained as a result of these programs is tremendous. A recent New York Times article put the cost of 1 year of life is worth at least $100,000 to the average person (48). Since the people who are at risk are living below the average person’s standards, it seems plausible that 1 year of life is worth $60,000 to a Puerto Rican woman at risk for AIDS. If twenty years of life are saved for that one woman, that would save $1,200,000. If that result is multiplied into ten people, the cost of all three programs has already been “recovered.” Theoretically this sounds like a great deal, so now somebody has to implement it.