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

702 Abstracts 33574-33580

12th World AIDS Conference

numbers of sexual partners, increase in the use of condoms, and a decrease
in STD's. Seroprevalence is, however, difficult to assess in informal settlement
programs.
Lessons Learned: PWA's are essential to the development and implementation of HIV prevention programs. However, they need community based support
to maintain these programs. The community must be mobilised to build its own
capacity for support and prevention. During 1998 saliva testing will be used to
assess seroprevalence and the program's impact on it.
33574 1 Introducing peer education strategies for AIDS
prevention in Lithuania
Frances Slatus1, K.F. Norr2, S. Caplinskas3. 1Lithuanian Mercy Lift, 11212 S.
Campbell Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60655; 2University of Illinois at Chicago,
Chicago, IL, USA; 3Lithuanian AIDS Centre, Vilnas, Lithuania
Issues: There is growing evidence that AIDS is spreading rapidly in Lithuania,
although it is currently still a low-prevalence country. The Lithuanian AIDS Centre
recognizes the importance of early and intensive prevention efforts to contain the
epidemic in a cost-effective way. Culturally sensitive peer education based on
social learning models has been demonstrated to be effective in many different
countries. However, health professionals and educators in Lithuania have no
familiarity with these community-based and participatory models.
Project: In a 16-day tour, 9 day-long seminars were given in 6 cities to over
200 health professionals and educators. Five sessions were in Klaipeda and the
surrounding area, where the greatest number of new cases are centered. The
seminar discussed peer education as a new and effective way of teaching AIDS
prevention. Participants had hands-on experience in leading discussions about
AIDS prevention and barriers to prevention in Lithuania, role-plays on how to
negotiate AIDS prevention behaviors with partners, and condom demonstrations.
The sessions ended with discussion of what they could do individually and as a
group to foster AIDS prevention.
Results: The participants found participatory and active learning techniques
very novel and many were shocked by the openness of the discussion. By the
end of the session they agreed that these strategies could be effective locally.
About half made a commitment to do at least one AIDS prevention activity and
want to be included in future training and AIDS prevention activities.
Lessons Learned: This hands-on seminar proved to be an effective way
to introduce such strategies and their potential benefits in AIDS prevention for
Lithuanian health professionals and educators. We are now developing a longterm collaboration involving the Lithuanian AIDS Centre, Lithuanian Mercy Lift
and University of Illinois at Chicago for AIDS prevention in Lithuania.
33575 Lessons learnt from the HIV awareness programme
through peer educators in slums of Delhi
Intazamul Haque1, U. Sharma1, P. Majumdar2, S. Chowdhury2. 1AHEAD, New
Delhi; 2NGO AIDS Cell AIIMS, New Delhi, India
Issue: To examine the process of involving community based peer educators in
the HIV/AIDS prevention programmes in selected slums of Delhi.
Project: A baseline survey to assess the level of knowledge on STDs including
AIDS was conducted in 5 slums of Delhi. 50 male and 50 female peer educators
from these 5 slums were selected after an intensive training on HIV/AIDS/STDs.
The project was formulated and developed to impart education on HIV/AIDS/STDs
and to motivate the slum dwellers towards early diagnosis and treatment of STDs
from qualified medical practitioners.
Results: Women peer educators were more interactive during the training but
lost interest subsequently mainly due to lack of support from the family members,
especially the husband. It was also noted that literate peer educators (males and
females) were more interested in continuing the work as compared to illiterate
ones. 38% of the slum dwellers preferred to seek treatment from local unqualified
doctors, whereas 12% believed that treatment of STDs are done better in their
home town.
Instead of recruiting new people, those people who are already working in
other development projects should be trained as peer educators for the sake of
sustainability. AIDS education becomes more meaningful when linked to other
development activities. It was remarkable to note that slum dwellers believed that
the treatment from local medicine practitioner was more effective.
33576 HIV/AIDS intervention among in-school youths in
Calabar, Nigeria
Felix Uchenna MBA1, A.A. Adekoya1, T. Pinneh2. 1Colgate Palmolive Nig 38
Ligali Ayorinde Crescent Victoria Island Lagos; 2Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Objective: To enlighten in-house youths about high-risk behaviours and its relationship with HIV/AIDS/STIs.
Method: Given the rapid increase in the number of HIV/AIDS cases and the
greater susceptibility of youths to the infections due to high sexual behaviour, an

intervention through enlightenment was carried out. Youths between the ages of
seventeen (17) and twenty-seven (27) were invited from secondary and tertiary
institutions in Calabar. Two films were shown: "Broken Wings" - which highlighted
high-risk behaviour among youths; "Pariah" - which dealt with the causes, modes
of transmission, effects and means of prevention of HIV/AIDS/STIs. There was
an education session by a medical doctor. The programme ended with a question
and answer session, distribution of IEC materials.

Results: Before the programme, a pre-test was administered. At the end of
the programme, the post-test showed an increased level of knowledge of the
issues raised and condom sales at designated centres. More youths enlisted into
HIV/AIDs focused NGOs. A total of eighty-two (82) youths enlisted for training as
PHEs.
Lesson: Youths participate more actively in programmes where their views can
be aired freely, and also discuss issues with their peers without reservations.
33577 Peer education as an effective HIV/AIDS prevention
strategy among secondary school students
Thomas Okoi Ofem. 9A ISO ETA Close Ikot ANSA Calabar, Nigeria
Issue: Secondary School adolescents require innovative HIV/AIDS awareness/prevention approaches.
Project: Given that adolescents are getting sexually active at progressively
lower ages, a situation that predisposes them to sex-related complications including HIV/AIDS, an intervention using in-school adolescents was developed. Key
students were trained in Family Life Education and used to form Reproductive
Health Clubs in the various schools.
Results: Within 3 months of the establishment of these clubs average membership rose from 25 to 150. Asked why they join the club, the girls say they
want to know how to prevent pregnancy. The boys want to know more about
gonorrhoea. Both end up learning this and more about HIV/AIDS.
Lessons Learned: Adolscents, especially those in-school take HIV/AIDS prevention education more serious if it is integrated into a family life education that
deals with other adolescent issues and problems.
33578 1 Sexual activities of young people: The making of an AIDS
preventive culture
Agnes O. Runganga. PO Box BW 1517, Borrowdale, Harare, Zimbabwe
Issues: The action research aims to transform the sexual culture of young people
living in two rural villages in Zimbabwe.
Project: Boys and girls within the age range 15-18 years are participating in a
peer-lead participatory intervention. It uses formal and informal educational methods to provide factual information about AIDS and sexual health. Participants are
encouraged to include the knowledge in informal peer-group discussions in the
community and at school. Meanings of sex and gender related expectations are
discussed in formal group settings. Educational session on the same issues are
given to other members of the community in their capacity as mothers, fathers,
brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts and uncles.
Lessons Learnt: A preliminary objective based evaluation indicates positive
incorporation of condom use and abstinence in sexual exploration and experimentation.
33579 HIV/AIDS education programme among youth hostels in
Bangalore, India
R. Elango Ramachandar. 402 Ranka Park Apts. 456 Lalbagh Road Bangalore
560027, India
Objectives: To provide sensitive information on HIV/AIDS regarding risk factors
in HIV transmission to students staying in Youth Hostels.
Methods: Conducting education programmes on Sexually Transmitted Diseases and their relationship to HIV transmission, through the use of slides and
other materials. The topics covered include modes of transmission of HIV, prevention and treatment of STDs', issues around men who have sex with men, IV
drug use and information on how to become peer educators.
Results: An evaluation programme after one and a half years highlighted: The
recruitment of 20 volunteer students from Youth Hostel who came forward for
training as peer educators. A specially commissioned street play was sponsored
by the State AIDS Cell in Karnataka and students took the responsibility on
themselves, with the support of Education Programme Staff in SAMRAKSHA,
to perform over 100 shows across the city. More members came forward for
Counselling infromation treatment of STDs and testing for HIV.
Learning: 1. To give more training to the Youth Hostel peer educators.
2. Young Students in Hostels, Primarily between the age of 16-25 years have
been identified as an especially vulnerable group of people to HIV infection.
3. The programme has demonstrated that young people are more comfortable
learning about sexual health issues from their own peers.
|33580 Workers AIDS education programme: Peer education
Makalo Teba. PO Box 1578 Maseru 100, Lesotho
Issue: Mostly people at the workplace are young, sexually, physically mid economically active and these people are at risk of HIV/AIDS/STD's infection as they
do not have access to HIV/AIDS/STD's educational programmes or health clinics.

Project: A two (2) days seminar on HIV/AIDS/STD's was held in February,
1995 for workplace managers especially factories situated at Maseru West and
Thetsane estates. The aim was to brief them about HIV/AIDS and its socioeconomic impact within their sector, and to offer them a wide range of appropriate
interventions, the role they have to play and support programs available. At the
end of the seminar most of the participants were willing to establish peer AIDS
education programme in their respective companies.