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

12th World AIDS Conference

Abstracts 33567-33573 701

33567 How to encourage youth to get vaccinated against
hepatitis B
Jean-Jacques Thorens. Swiss Federal Office of Public Health 3003 Bern,
Switzerland
Objectives: To recommend general vaccination against hepatitis B for all young
people between the age of 11 and 15 in Switzerland.
Design: Teaching material developed, designed and realised by the young
people themselves.
Methods: Creation of a working - group made up of seven young persons
with the task of thinking out the best means to sensitise their friends to the
need of getting vaccinated against hepatitis B. Defining the content of the message. Adaptation of the wording into the their language (from medical literature),
presentation and distribution of the material. Planning the use of the material
at schools, assessing the needs. Integrating the message into AIDS and drug
prevention programmes, into the sexual education programmes. Studying the
means of simultaneously sensitising the parents.
Results: An information kit containing a leaflet on hepatitis B and a plastic
comic figure representing a virus.
Conclusions: A new experience showing the involvement of the young when
it is vital that a message be properly adapted in order to be successful.
S33568 Medical students mobilize to provide information to a
whole university community
Galileo Vargas. Morelos Sur 1422 Col. Chipitlan C.P 62070 Cuernavaca,
Morelos, Mexico
Problem: The State University of Morelos, Mexico, lacked educational programs
aimed at the student community regarding sexuality, STDs and HIV/AIDS. The
region where it is located, Morelos State, has the fourth highest rate per population in the country (60.9 AIDS cases per 100,000 population); 62% of these state
are between 20 and 45 years of age. There are no other sources of information
on HIV/AIDS directed to young people in the state.
Project: Medical Students concerned by the increase of HIV/AIDS and lack of
specific and sufficient contents in the school curricula, formed a group to seek
specific training from their professors in the school of Medicine about sexuality,
STDs, and HIV/AIDS and later developed an strategy to provide informational
talks and conferences, and training by skill- building workshops on safe sex to
the student community of the University. This group (GIPSIDA) started their first
activities on June 1997. The current goal is to reach the total of the university
student community (18,000) by December 1998. Costs of the intervention are
very low because it uses the already existing resources of the university: voluntary
work of medicine students and training by University Professors, therefore long
term sustainability is likely to be achieved.
Results: 600 students have already been reached by the intervention (both
information and safe-sex workshops). Preliminary and limited information shows
that these students value better their peers as source of information and training
when compared to their professors, physicians or other health related professionals which makes it more likely to produce behavior modification.
Lessons learned: This informational-intervention campaign among university
students seems to be well accepted because it is provided by trained peers. This
kind of intervention is likely to be sustainable because of the low operations cost
and provides a good example of community mobilization.
S33569 Prevention program in schools on students between
10-16 years, in STD/HIV/AIDS
Ana Luisa Diaz de Meyer, C. Galindo. Medicos Sin Fronteras, 5 a. calle "A",
Guatemala City, Guatemala (Central Africa)
Issue: Teenagers that have initiated sexual activities are in risk of STD/HIV/AIDS,
Pandemia. They don't lack knowledge nor good behavior.
Project: MSF, and two other organizations provide this plan that produces
advanced behavior changes and increases knowledge to prevent STD/HIV/AIDS,
through new techniques and training in teach-learn strategy.
Results: A curriculum was elaborated, based on the education program and
methodology guides for teachers including participation techniques. Self educational models were used; that induced ideas in selfcare.
This plan was also technically supported by the Ministry of Education, and
included in the elementary Schools Curricular Programs. We expect to introduce
this plan in all elementary schools of Guatemala City.
Lesson Learned: The active participation of young people (10-16 years) seeking information and prevention has been a success in converting the students into
facilitators and duplicate agents with their own families and same age students.
33570 Sensitizing and peer education in organized groups:
Schools

Sizing Eyana Assih. BTD BP65 Lome, Togo
Issue: Population vulnerable because highly sexually active, then they need
innovative and appropriate intervention and awareness.
Project: Considering the quick increase in number of the youths and adolescents, a great campaign of sensitizing was undertaken. CARRE-JEUNES formed
clubs in various social groups (schools) whose members are trained by us. On
their turn they work as peer educators, and they educate their peers effectively.

This method is very efficient because in our society the topic on sex is a tabu.
CARRE-JEUNES uses I.E.C, that is Information Education and Communication.
We proceed by sketches broadcast once a week on TV and radio in three languages: The official one (French) and local widely spoken ones. We also have a
center of a social sale of condoms.
Results: The creation of CARRE-JEUNES school clubs has been very well
received in schools. The schools where we have not yet created clubs want us
to do it and quickly. We started with two clubs in 1996 to reach the number of ten
today exceeding our envisaged figure by four.
A great number of students have changed their behaviour and state they have
convinced their parents to discuss themes on AIDS with them at home.
All our emissions/broadcasting (sketches) are highly appreciated by the whole
Togo population particularly the youths.
Lessons Learned: Sensitizing and education on HIV/AIDS/STDs are potentially successful if we know how to make a theme be interesting and how to
choose the target of a particular message and specially how to let the youths
know that they are to build their own future.
33571 Sensitizing and peer education in organized groups:
Tailors and dressmakers
Sizing Eyana Assih. BTD 65 Lome, Togo
Issue: Population vulnerable because highly sexually active, then they need
innovative and appropriate intervention and awareness.
Project: Considering the quick increase in number of the youths and adolescents, a great campaign of sensitizing was undertaken. CARRE-JEUNES formed
clubs in various social groups (tailors and dressmakers) whose members are
trained by us. On their turn they work as peer educators, and they educate their
peers effectively. This method is very efficient because in our society the topic
on sex is a tabu. CARRE-JEUNES uses I.E.C, that is Information Education and
Communication. We proceed by sketches broadcast once a week on TV and
radio in three languages: The official one (French) and local widely spoken ones.
We also have a center of a social sale of condoms.
Results: Our project on training tailors and dressmakers on AIDS has been
very well received by them. The sewing workshops we have not yet reached apply
for our services everyday. Thus, from the number 22 (bosses and apprentices) in
the last term in 1996, we reach 881 in December 1997 exceeding our envisaged
figure by 80%. The number of condoms sold in sewing workshops increased:
2750 condoms sold in 1996, 8245 condoms sold in 1997, 1005 condoms sold in
January (1st-20th) 1998. This progression shows that tailors and dressmakers
have changed their behaviour. All our emissions/broadcasting (sketches) are
highly appreciated by the whole Togo population particularly the youths.
Lessons Learned: Sensitizing and education on HIV/AIDS/STDs are potentially successful if we know how to make a theme be interesting and how to
choose the target of a particular message and specially how to let the youths
know that they are to build their own future.
S33572 Peer education among industrial workers at work place
Silvasankararao Vajja. Door-No-22-15-24 Thomaspet Chirala-523155 Prakasm
and HR Pradesh, India
Issue: Vulnerable Industrial workers to STD/HIV/AIDS require interventions of
Peer Education and Awareness.
Programme: The incidence of increased patients suffaring from venerial diseases and HIV in industries such as I.L.T.D, CAPOL, SPINNING MILLS in Chiral
Town of A.P. was required to be interviend with risk reduction programme in view
of the above objective.
Methods: 15 Peers suffering from the diseases were identified and trained
for a period of 5 days in the concepts and methods of Harm reduction in the
mentioned three Industries. In turn the 15 Peers regularly educated the 96 suffering group members in the respective industries. Through pamphlets, handouts,
poster exibition flip charts, Audio and vidio visuals on the diseases.
Results: The reported incidence of STD infected workers was reduced from
67 in all the three industries to 17. 75% of reduction in the incidence of reported
cases took place in the respective clinics of the Industries.
Conclusion: Peer Education Programme has effectively resulted in increased
Awareness and knowledge on the diseases among the workers.
33573 The Soweto HOPE model for peer education and support
Latisa Mabee1, M. R. Ottenweller2. 1220 Cornelis St. Fairland, Johannesburg;
2Hope worldwide, Johannesburg, RSA
Issue: HIV prevention by peer educators must be integrated with community
support groups.
Project: The Soweto AIDS Project of HOPE worldwide has developed the
Soweto HOPE Model. This model integrates support and prevention. Support
groups provide counselling, psycho-social support, home visits, medical care,

skills training, and income generation. The PWA's then develop and implement
their own prevention programs which involve forum theatre, picture codes, role
playing, and other interactive methods of prevention.
Results: The Soweto support groups for PWA's educate 15,000 people per
month and distribute over 20,000 condoms per month in their respective communities. These PWA's are the best communicators for HIV prevention among
their peers, Questionnaires for each community demonstrate steadily decreasing