Bridging the Gap: Conference Record [Abstract book, International Conference on AIDS (12th: 1998: Geneva, Switzerland)]

12th World AIDS Conference

Abstracts 13465-13470 179

Results: In the beginning the staff were not cooperative and thought AIDS
did not concern them. Later many attended the talks and slowly the stigma went
down. No evaluation of our activities has been done but from my observation many
employees are more careful with their lives and are changing their behaviour.
Lessons Learned: With support of top management workplace-based strategies for AIDS education and prevention can be successful.
13465 Action planning strategies on the prevention of
STD/HIV/AIDS: Outcome of the tripartite meeting and
workshop on STD/HIV/AIDS
Laufred Hernandez. Off of the Chancellor, Univ of the Phil Manila, 8/F Phil Gen
Hosp, Taft Avenue, Philippines
Issue: Private establishments, managers and workers are population groups that
are vulnerable to HIV/AIDS and STD and require innovative and appropriate
intervention and awareness. While an HIV/AIDS campaign in the work place has
a unique strategic importance, only in the work place is there a formally structured
setting to reach a sexually active population.
Project: The seminar-workshop project (held in March 1997) was the first tripartite meeting conducted in the country between union/workers' representatives,
government agencies and management to discuss and respond to HIV/AIDS and
STD issues at the work place. Forty (40) participants attended this activity and
they were clustered in three (3) working groups to discuss issues and concerns
and to design a culturally relevant and language-appropriate action plan strategy
at the work sites. Subsequent to this activity, a lecture on STD and HIV/AIDS was
also conducted.
Results: The activity was able to raise valid concerns particularly on the role
of public health policies and laws concerning the issue of AIDS as a predisposing
factor for its implementation in the work place. Likewise, a presentation of the
economic impact of the disease on productivity served to strengthen the need for
such programs in the work place.
Lessons Learned: There is a need to strengthen the partnerships between
workers' groups, private sector and government agencies to initiate, design,
sustain and monitor STD and HIV/AIDS programs at the worksites.
S13466 1 Profile of condom use by the personnel of a private
enterprise. An example of the C6te d'lvoire
Isabelle Josiane Nouame, M. Aguirre, S. Goourey, T. Togbe. HOPE
Worldwide-CASM, Abidjan, Cote, D'lvoire
Issue: Despite the promotion of wide scale AIDS education campaigns in the C6te
d'lvoire, businesses have seldom been the focus of AIDS intervention campaigns.
The objectives of this study were to: 1) determine the profile of condom use in a
typical business and 2), develop an appropriate AIDS education program.
Project: The author, during the course of medical consultations, for one month,
at a large business, interviewed employees on their sexual practices using one-toone discussions. The sample studied, was then divided into 3 groups. Group 0:
Those with at least 2 partners and who never used condoms. Group 1: Those
with at least 2 partners, who used condoms occasionally. Group 2: Those who
used condoms consistently or who were faithful to one partner.
Results: 155 men were interviewed during the course of one month. 43% of
those interviewed were classified into group 0.25% of those interviewed were
classified into group 1.32% of those interviewed were classified into group 2.70%
of those interviewed in group 0 or 1 were in the age range of 40-49 years. 50%
of those in the age range of 50-55 years were in group 0.
Lessons Learned: Only 30% of the sample were either faithful to one partner
or used condoms consistently. No significant difference was found in sexual behavior between the 2 age groups studied. It follows that, despite relatively high
levels of knowledge on AIDS in the general public, the need to target businesses
remains a priority as this sector ultimately determines the economic strength and
future of the country.
K 13467 Coping with HIV/AIDS as an elite in the workplace without
any intervention - 10 years experience of an HIV positive
bank employee
Richard Constant Okou. PO Box 30967 Kampala, Uganda
Issue: While Uganda is reputed internationally on her interventions on HIV/AIDS,
the formal sector has not been adequately addressed by these interventions. This
has affected the elite PWA's working in the formal sector psychologically, socially
and economically.
Project: As an HIV infected person working in the largest commercial bank
in Uganda I experienced great deal of ostrocism, stigma, isolation, fear, discrimination and despondency. This mainly was due to lack of information not only
to myself, my other workmates but also to my employer. As a result I suffered
termination of my services for being HIV positive. This state of affairs has led
to loss of hope among HIV employees and to date about 440 have died of HIV
related illnesses since 1988 in Uganda Commercial Bank. I have watched most

of this people fall sick and die. Most have died prematurely because of denial.
Results: As long as there is lack of intervention in the formal sector Uganda has
continued to lose the elite members of society whom government has invested so
much in. While the peasant class has continued to cope with HIV/AIDS through
counselling, information sharing and peer support the elite have continued to live
in denial and mutual pretence.

Lessons Learned: Because policy makers lack information and they are also
at the forefront of denial it is very difficult to influence policy/interventions in the
formal sector. This scenario is manifested in AM where the greatest clientele is of
people of peasant background. So for a few elite PWAs like me it becomes very
difficult to reconcile the gap of the elite who are increasingly in denial yet they are
the policy makers.
I134681 Acceptance of people living with AIDS (PLWAs) at work
place
Pat No Monye, G. Iroka, J.A. Adegbite, S. Agbogun, C.E. Adigwe, P.K. Omole.
Life Continuity Foundation 31 Church Street Mushin Lagos, Nigeria
Issue: People living with AIDS unlnerability to termination of appointment in
Nigeria, need to be protected by Government policy.
Projects: With the inadequate factual information to people on the control and
prevention of HIV/AIDS and and unfavourable reactions of employers to HIVinfected employees, resulting in loss of job (termination of Appointment). Work
places are visited to enlighten and educate the employers and management.
Strategies include interpersonal communication with employers and employees
on one-to one information and counselling on HIV/AIDS and the ability of PLWAs
to lead a normal life until they cannotwork any longer. Moreover medical, financial, spiritual, nutritional, socio-psychological and environmental supports among
others will improve life expectancy of PLWAS.
Results: The contacted employers become well informed and this they a appreciated. Their appraisal suggested that seminars should be organised for more
participation.
Lessons Learned: Declared Government Policy on the rights of the PLWAS
and proctection at work place will enhance their acceptance as well as the right
to their entilements and improved life expectancy.
13469 Estimated prevalence of HIV-infected persons in Sweden
1986-2002. Medical care cost estimates of HIV/AIDS
patient
Harriet Malmquist1, B.R. Nilsson2. 1National Board of Health and Welfare
S-10630 Stockholm; 2Cancerepid. Dep. Karolinska Inst., Stockholm, Sweden
Object: The aim for this study was to estimate the prevalence of HIV-infected
persons in Sweden 1996-2002 and to estimate the health and medical care cost
for HIV/AIDS patients.
Design: Retrospective, population based study.
Material and Method: A prognosis of the number of living HIV patients in
Sweden to the year 2002 was carried out by fitting a quadratic regression model
to observed data during 1986-1996.
Knowing the distribution and costs of patients on stage it was also possible to
give cost estimates for somatic care for the Swedish HIV population up to the end
of 2002.
Results: The fitted model suggests that the prevalence of living HIV patients
in Sweden will peak with 3,050 patients in 1996 and decline to 2,600 in the year
2002.
The cost for somatic care of HIV/AIDS patients was estimated to 585 SEK
million (68.5 EURO million) by the year 1997 and 657 SEK million (77 EURO
million) by the year 2002 (at 1996 prices).
Conclusion: According to the fitting model, the number of HIV-infected patients
in Sweden will peak in 1996 and decline thereafter.
Cost estimates given in this study are based on the present prognosis.
13470 Replication of a proven HIV/STD prevention behavioral
intervention: The VOICES/OCES program
Phyllis Scattergood1, A. San Doval1, M. Barker1, L. O'Donnell1, K. Cranston2,
P. Etkind2, K. Edlund2. 1Education Development Center, 55 Chapel Street,
Newton, Massachusetts, MA; 2Massachusetts Department of Public Health,
Boston, MA, USA
Background: In a large randomized clinical trial, a video-based bilingual behavioral intervention VOICES/VOCES) for African American and Latino men and
women at high risk for HIV and STDs was shown to be effective for improving
HIV-related knowledge and influencing attitudes as well as in increasing condom
acquisition and lowering rates of new STD infections. While effectiveness is an
important criteria for the adoption of interventions, it alone does not assure successful dissemination or successful links between science and the community.
Using a concerns-based adoption model, this dissemination study examines and
identifies elements that are essential to successful replication of the intervention
in a variety of community health services.
Methods: The intervention was developed through multi-sector partnerships.
The original developers collaborated with key public health program directors in
HIV, STD, and Family Planning units of the Massachusetts Department of Public
Health (MDPH) and health care providers in five community health service sites
to develop, pilot and field test a replication package to support the dissemination

of the VOICES/OCES program.
Results: Core elements necessary to replicate the intervention were identified
(video-viewing, small group gender-appropriate skill-building sessions, and condom education), along with program orientation and technical support needs of
potential users. Questions, concerns, and recommendations expressed by early
adopters (including issues of cost in resource-poor health care settings) have