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

12th World AIDS Conference

Abstracts 13548-13553 195

13548 JLife skills+ an innovative approach to behaviour change
Hellen Munthall. Tovwirane Centre Private Bag 20 Mzimba, Malawi, Southern
Africa, Malawi
Issue: Despite the fact that 98% of the population of Malawi knows all the facts
about HIV/AIDS, risk behaviours do not seem to be changing significantly.
Project: In an attempt to initiate actual behaviour change around the risk
activities that lead to STD, HIV/AIDS transmission, and early pregnancy, a "Life
Skills" behaviour change intervention was introduced into 4 secondary schools in
the area. Using a peer educator approach, students learn about important tools to
help them make the appropriate choices about their behaviours. Using interactive
role plays, exercises, puzzles, and games, students learn and practise skills such
as communication, decision-making, emotion management, relationship skills,
self-esteem building, assertiveness, overcoming peer pressure, and gender -
among other topics. The schools are monitored and trained by the volunteers at
Tovwirane Centre.
Results: While this project is still too new to have quantitative results, we have
intuitively seen a shift in the behaviours of the students, and, surprisingly even in
the attitudes of the teachers. Students are actively engaging in the programme,
and the number of students involved increases with every session.
Lessons Learned: Although peer education is a powerful tool for this programme, it is imperative that experienced leaders design, manage, and evaluate
the programme closely to ensure quality sessions.
13549 Sex education among students of primary and middle
school
Xiaoliang Li', S.Z.L. Shi2, W.Y.Q. Wen3, W.A.L. Wang'. 'Department of
Preventive Medicine, Kunming Medical College, Kunming, Yunnan; 2 Yunnan
Normal Univercity Kunming, 3 Yunnan Academic of Sociaology, Kunming, China
Issue: STD/HIV infection is related with harmful behavior and becoming a serious
issue for youth. Sex education is an effective way to reduce the risk that young
people face.
Project: In China, just recent years, the importance of sex education is recognized. Although some research and theory study have been done, implementation
of sex education is still difficult. This project named "know more about yourself"
tried to develop methodology and training material for teachers so that they can
integrate sex education into school curriculum. We hold a series of workshop
for the students of primary and middle school. In these workshops, according
to different age, we provided the knowledge of body development, psychiatry
development, relationship, peer pressure, self-esteem and reproductive health,
as well as life skill, such as how to say "no". Every student received four to
five hours training in their spare time. Some parents and teachers participated
these workshops too. Also, we answered questions asked by students through
telephone and letters after the workshop.
Results: From the result of pre- and post-test, students' knowledge about
sex and related issues were promoted greatly. In their composition; they told
us that they like the workshop very much because it solved their puzzle and
helped them treat sex issue openly and properly. They like teaching method we
used too because it provided them opportunity to participate in all activity and
talk themselves. They feel more confident about their ability and responsibility of
being a teenager. Students' parents and teachers gave a positive response to the
workshop and considered sex education is necessary for the students.
Lessons Learned: Teenagers need sex education. If we listen to them and
use proper method, sex education can be acceptable and enjoyable, and will play
an important role in children's development, and help them to be more confident
and responsible in STD/HIV prevention.
13550 Informations, education and communications on AIDS
among college and school going students in Manipur,
India (Manipur experience)
Daineikung Pudaite. Chairman, Muolvaiphei Rural Health & Research Centre
PO Box 3 Churachandpur 795128 Manipur, India
Among the tribal Students of Manipur State, IEC is the most effective means to
prevent drug free students from getting into drugs. Providing proper informations
on HIV/AIDS to prevent HIV transmission and also to reduce personal and social
impact of HIV infection and lessening of the fear and stigmatization associated
with HIV infection. Imparting informations on safer injecting practice, safer sexual
behaviour to check spread of STDs and particularly HIV. Deisgned and circulated
IEC brochures emphasizing on all the above goals.
Results: Students, Teachers and Community Leaders are becoming awared
of HIV/AIDS The awareness percentage has been soared to 75.8% like sharing
neddles and syringes can pass on HIV/AIDS. There is a good responses from the
students as well as the teachers. 90.8% emphasizes on introduction of HIV/AIDS
education in Schools and Colleges. Prevention and awareness programmes received good responses (say 85-90% from teachers, students and Community
leaders.

Lesson Learned: Awareness and Preventive programmes among the tribal
students of Manipur State (india) are potentially sucessful if they are included in
the Schools and College class routines.

13551 AIDS/IEC in high schools and at the University of C6te
d'lvoire
Kovamelan Honarat Assohoun, I.M. Coulibaly, D. Abidjan. PNLS MST TUB 04
BP 2113, Abidjan 04, Cote d'lvoire
Introduction: In front of the youth's sexual precocity, the IEC Department of the
NACP has supported the creation of groups of fight against AIDS in school areas.
The main objective is to inform and educate school boys and university students
in order to reduce HIV sexual transmission.
Methods: Since 1993 the National Programme on AIDS has assisted the
creation of high schools and university groups of information and sensitization.
These groups by their peer-education should have informed their friends and
colleagues on AIDS Awareness and possible risks. The NACP was providing
financial and logistic support
Results: In 1993-1994, 53 groups have been set up in High School (1st and
2nd section) and also in 4 university Campus of Abidjan.
Two well-organized associations, "CESAM": "Cellule Anti SIDA et MST" and
"CRISE ": "Cellule de Recherche et d'lnformation sur le SIDA" in school areas
have made branches in various schools. Therefore, CRISE has been extended
in the Five (5) university campus of Abidjan and those of Bouake.
As Far as CESAM is concerned, it has made five 5 sub-groups in Abidjan high
schools and a cultural group RAP-MC
1995-1996: Both associations have continued making Progress organizing
numerous activities of sensitization in the schools Training of members, drawing
competitions, poems, films projections, pamphlets, posters on free screening.
During this period CRISE had received funds from the NACP while CESAM had
received an important budget from the French Cooperation. They have always
worked together with the HIV+ support-groups.
1997: The activities of those groups have been reduced because of lack of
funds and also because of the constant movement of the members when it occurs
a social change.
Conclusion: One of the main results of peer-groups is the great number of
students who rush to CIPS for Free-Screening (Center For Information and AIDS
Prevention).
Student associations when they are trusted by official structures of the fight
against AIDS and receive their support prove effectiveness. Their activities could
be sustainable if they receive facilities from the school administrative responsibles
and with their commitment, a sensitive support.
13552 Evaluation of the plan of sexual education for adolescent
scholars of the city of Santa Cruz
Leny Soria Pabon, Gine Lujan Jannett. Direccion Departamental de Educacion.
Santa Cruz; Pasaje Caracas No. 7, Bolivia
Objectives: To identify problems and necessities of the five participant schools
of the phase pilot of the Plan of Sexual Education of the city of Santa Cruz, to
find aspects of the curricular proposal of the Plan of Sexual Education that have
been incorporated, and later improvement of this proposal.
Design: Quantitative and qualitative evaluation taken from two perspectives:
one related with the intervention of the involved fellows, and the other one with
the decisions to those that it serves as base.
Method: Between July and October of 1997 the evaluation was carried out with
a sample of 786 students of the five establishments, 5 principals, 14 educational
and 6 family parents. The sample of 10% of students was chosen at random
through the bobbin. The basic information was picked up through two sources:
* A pretest of knowledge, attitudes and the students' values involved in the
Plan that marks the starting point and that it serves from reference to the process
of their implementation.
* A package of instruments for the monitoreo of the Plan (interviews, questionnaires and focal groups), applied to educational, directors, family parents,
students and external observers.
Applied the instruments were carried out the prosecution of the data through
the code and later interpretation of the information.
Results: The results obtained through the interpretations allow to see the
following things: Interest in the contents that are implementeded. Beginning in
the opening of the dialogue educational-students-family parents on topics of
sexuality. The principals of the establishments support Tabues persistence and
stereotypes in relation to the sexuality in the educational community.
Conclusions: Based to this results, the application of the Plan of Sexual Education, constitutes a positive experience that she/he responds to the educational
necessities of students and that it spreads to generate changes in the conception
that these they have of the sexuality. The continuous training of educational and
the impulse of the dialogue educational-students-family parents, to arrive to the
appropriation of the objectives that proposes the Plan.
S13553 Integral prevention in public schools: The health right
Fabiana Cantero, E. Michelli, M.A. Marcucci, D. Lomonaco, S.S. Inchaurraga,

M. Escudero, K. Tuttolomondo. Rioja 1758, Rosario National University,
C.E.A.D.S., Argentina
Issue: Integral prevention in public primary schools, with the participation of
teachers, pupils and their parents.
Project: Intervention in Public Primary Schools. Principal themes to deal with
are the following ones: sexuality, contraceptives methods, aseptic abortions, not
desired pregnancies, toxic substances, alcoholism, social damages related with