Abstracts Vol. 1 [International Conference on AIDS (11th: 1996: Vancouver, Canada)]

Tuesday, July 9, 1996

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Project: A national mass-media campaign which meets the following requirements: an
approach which integrates both heterosexuality and homosexuality as well as H-IIV and STD
prevention, a positive approach to sexuality and a more explicit promotion of condoms.The
campaign content is based on: support for the social norm and an emphasis on the communicative and practical skills which are necessary for safer sex.The campaignc uscs massmedia such as TV, radio, cinema, advertisements, a booklet and fr-ee' postcards Both materials. and campaign slogans are also used in target group interventions.
Results: The campaign functions as an umbrella'. It is a coordinating, visible and highly
talked-about activity which draws attention to safer sex. Generalizing the problems surrounding safer sex and discussing them at a national level (i.e. bringing up the subject of
condoms or negotiating their use) allows the theme to be followed up more specifically at
a target group level. Research (by Utrecht/Groningen universities) has shown that the
social norm for having safe sex is increasing. Consistent use of condoms by those nriot in a
monogamous relationship increased from 8% in 1987 to 51% in 1994 (1995 figures will
soon be published).
Lessons Learned: The combination of a national, mass-media campaign and specific target
group prevention activities creates a basis for efficient and effective information and education. Giving information to the general public indicates that safer sex is in the public interest.
In this way specific target groups do not feel they are being stigmatized. Groups which are
hard to reach with specific education are at least reached by mass-media. Drawing attention
to the subject keeps safer sex on the public agenda.
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INITIATED PSYCHO-SOCIAL CARE BY INFORMAL NETWORKING OF PWAS
(REF GULU RURAL AREA: UGANDA)
Nansubuga Agnes, Aneko F, Kirega L. * NRA/ World Learning ** PWA Gulu.
Issue: Gulu is a rural district in Uganda and HIV/AIDS is very much associated with
immorality Many people suffer from agony of uncertanity because they fear finding out
their sero status. It's yet a bigger problem when one tests HIV+.The immediate feelings
are lone-liness, self pity, what will be the public opinion?, whom to tell next? etc One gets
psychologically sick.
Project: In 1993 PWAS in the district supported by an NGO, Agency for Co-operation and
reseach in Devt (ACORD) came up with a self help project called "Wakonye Kenwa"
meaning we should help ourselves.The project focuses on I.Bringing PWAS together as a
family share experiences and support each other. 2.Educating communities through life
experiences. 3.Uphold the PWAS morale by building a working capacity among therm.
Results: The initiative of PWAS has helped them to personalise and internalise the feeling
of the problem. Being HIV+ has been used as an entry point to draw attention to educate
the communities, minimise stigma and discrimination.The sensetized communities have
developed positive attitudes to PWAS and this has given positive people a chance to confort their illiness with peace and diginity
Lessons Learned: Shared confidentiality has continously upheld the morale and the will to
live among PWAS.The initiative of PWAS has reduced the social distance between those
with and without the disease. PWAS as communications have the potential of influencing
psycho-social issues in the communities, if provided with the necessary logistics.
Agnes Nansubuga PO.Box 4267 Kampala.Tel: 27 2393 Fax: 256-04 I -256 231743
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THE HIV/AIDSTREATMENT INFORMATION SERVICE:A COLLABORATIVE U.S.
PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE INITIATIVE
Katz., D*, Gerber R**, Williams K***, Dutcher G****. *National Institute of Allergy and
Infectious Diseases; **Health Resources and Services Administration; ***Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention; ****National Library of Medicine
Issue: When important treatment information needs to be widely disseminated by the various components of the U.S. Federal government, such as the trial results from ACTG 076
(the trial which confirmed that the use of AZT during pregnancy reduces perinatal HIV
transmission), a centralized reference service enables this information to be quickly and casily available to health care providers and persons with HIV infection.
Project: The HIV/AIDS Treatment Information Service (ATIS), a free telephone reference
service, was developed through a coordinated U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) effort.
ATIS provides a central resource that health care providers and people living with HIV
infection can use to find out about treatment options approved by the U.S. Federal government.The USPHS agencies sponsoring ATIS include: the Agency for Health Care Policy and
Research, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Health Resources and Services
Administration, Indian Health Service, National Institutes of Health, and Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Services Administration. ATIS works closely with other Federal HIV
information services and AIDS service organizations to make appropriate referrals to callers
for information requests outside of ATIS' scope, e.g., HIV prevention information.
Information from ATIS is also available to the international community Through electronic
mail and through its own home page on a World Wide Web site.
Results: The service opened on October 31, 1994 and over 12,000 calls have been
received. 30.5% of callers using the service identify themselve as HIV-nfected persons
26.3% are "general public" (defined as callers whose HIV status is rinkniownr, HIV-seronegative individuals, and callers with a general interest in treatment information). Physicians and
other health care providers comprise I I.9% of calls to the service. LDuring its first y/ear of
operation, ATIS further demonstrated its value in allowing its sponsoring agencies to coordinate release of information on ACTG 076 and provided the public with the ability to link
with providers if they had questions or concerns about the information for HIVinfected
pregnant women.
Lessons Learned: A coordinated HIV treatment information service benefits the sponsoring
agencies and the users of the service. Resources can be shared, duplicative efforts reduced,
and there is less confusion for individuals about where to call for informntion.
Deborah G. Katz Division of AIDS/NIAID/NIH Executive Boulevard Bethesda, MtD 20892 -7620USA.Tel:[phone]

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UNIVERSAL HIV COUNSELING AND TESTING FOR PREGNANCY:
WOMEN, PARTNERS OR BOTH?
Puro Vincenzo. Ippolito G, Alois MS, Antonucci G, De Carli G, D'Ubaldo C. Girardi E, Orchi
N, Petrosillo N, Sampaolesi A, Zaniratti S. Centro di Riferimento AIDS, Ospedale
Spallanzani - Roma, Italy
Objective:To describe the characteristics of women found to be HIV infected (HIV+) durng pregnancy or at delivery
Method: Case reports from unselected consecutive I) 3158 women (W) seeking HIV testing "for pregnancy" at the major counseling and testing site in Rome Italy (I985-95): 2)
14736 parturients (P) admitted in a public hospital located in the same area (1989-95) and
participating to an Universal HIV Testing Regional Program.
Results: I IW were found positive (0.35%).W I-6 voluntarily sought HIV test because of
partners who were IVDU.W 7 declined counseling. W 8-9 were tested because of their
gyn' request; they were unaware of being partner of a former never tested IVDU found
HIV+ after tracing. Current partners of W 10- I I tested HIV-; W 10- II did not report high
risk factors. 9 IP (0.62%) declined to be tested. 55 P (60 deliveries, %) were HIV+. P I-31
(36 deliveries) were aware of infection before pregnancy P 32-33 had performed an HIV
test one and two months before delivery because of gyn's request; their never tested partners (a former IVDU and a man not reporting high risk behaviors, respectively) were found
HIV+ after tracing. In P 34-36 no information was available. P 42's partner declined to be
counselled and tested; P 42, but not her husband, had been tested HIV- four months before
the pregnancy. P 37-55 were unaware of HIV infection; only P 55 had been previously tested on gyn's request when she was in the I trimester of pregnancy and HIV-. P 37-38 were
from South Saharan Africa, P 39-44 partners of known HIV+ IVDU, and P 45-50 partners
of never tested unknown former IVDU found HIV+ after tracing. P 5 I-55 did not report
high risk factors. Current partners of P 5 I-52 were HIV-.Current partners of P 53-54 were
found HIV+ after tracing, without reporting high risk factors.The partner of P 55, never
tested before, was found HIV+; he reported to have had high risk heterosexual activity
Conclusions:The study shows that a wide range of situations and different personal histories
may have exposed women found HIV+ in pregnancy to the virus. A not negligible and
increasing number of women are unaware of being at risk of infection from their current or
previous partners.This strongly suggests the need for the universal offer of HIV test to
women who are pregnant or planning pregnancy Risk assessment of male partners must not
be neglected.Women' consent to HIV test must be encouraged and barriers dismantled.
V. Puro, Centro di Riferimento AIDS-Osp. L. Spallanzani -Via Portuense, 292 - 00149 Rome,
Italy. Phone [phone] Fax [phone]
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USE OF THE INTERNET IN THE PREVENTIVE PROGRAM AND AS AN
INFORMATION SERVICE
Toms Svoboda, Infima BBS, Prague. Czech Republic Ondrej Trojan, Centre for Prevention
of HIV/AIDS and STDs, Prague, Czech Republic
Issue: Internet as a well reachable source can be used both for prevention and information programs.
Project: The project came up after the demand from various governmental, nongovernmental and teaching organizations which have to solve problems with accurate information
flow regarding issue of drug abuse and HIV/STD prevention.Therefore a new Bulletin
Board Service called "SEX AND DRUGS" was established at the end of the year 1995
and started to be provided openly at the beginning of 1996. It uses the hypertext branching and all the major issues (like AIDS/HIV, Common Knowledge on Sex, Prostitution, Gays,
Lesbians, Positive people, Drugs in Czech Republic etc.) are discussed and texts for download are offered.
The whole project is targeted to three main groups. Group one consists of adolescents
(especially boys) who are attracted by computer and Internet.The other one is dominated
by various sex educators, volunteers, journalists, NGOs, physicians, psychologists or social
workers.The last target group are foreign visitors of the countryThe Czech company INFlMA as a flexible Internet and BBS provider was chosen for the realization.
Results: The number of people connected daily varies from 35 to I 55. Most of them are
(as we expected) males in the mean age of I 6.
Lessons Learned: Although the connotation of Internet is sometimes bad because of
pornography on its sites, it can be a powerful tool if properly used for the nationwide campaign.The feedback obtained easily and for free means another important thing.
Ondrej Trojan, Dep. of Sexology naibrL. Svobody 2, 11 5 60 Praha I, Czech Rep.,
tel/fax [phone], E-mail: [email protected]
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TO DEVELOP A PROGRAMME FOR AIDS PREVENTION EDUCATION FOR
ADOLESCENT BOYS AND GIRLS IN SLUM AREAS.
Dr S.D. Khaparde*. *Director, Family Welfare Training & Research Centre,
/Govt. of Indial, Bombay.
Issue Adolescent aoys and girls in the urban slums are high-risk group for HIV/AIDS, but
do not access the AIDS prevention education programme as these groups dis-continue
their schools
Project:3c dvelop HIV/AIDS prevention education programme for the adolescent boys and
girls of the socio economically under privileged group, a community-based project is initiated.
( ommunity-based programme for AIDS prevention education for adolescents is initiated, as
roost of the studies conducted amongst adolescent boys and girls shows that pre-marital sex
is very common in urban slum areas. Hence, adolescent group is high-risk for HIV/AIDS.
IEducational interventron session on sexuality responsible sexual behaviour and HV/AIDS
prevention strategies have been conducted.The impact of the programme is evaluated by
assessing knowledge, attitude and behaviour of adolescents before and after the intervention prograimme by questionnaire method.
Results: AIDS prevention education programme has been extremely well accepted by the
adolescents and their parents in the community Programme recorded 1050 adolescents
were intervened by conducting 4 to 5 educational sessions on different subjects in a span
of 6 months. It is striking that 48% of the adolescents were not aware about the mode of
transmission of HIV/AIDS.

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