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

12th World AIDS Conference

Abstracts 34176-34181 721

how to prevent infection. (4) Gender and gender roles - analyzing and redefining
gender roles. (5) Verbal aggression - how to be less verbally aggressive. (6)
Mother-daughter relationships - how to improve mother-daughter communication
about sexuality and safer sex practices.
Results: The participants were 32 adolescent girls (ages 12 to 15) and 32
mothers (ages 35 to 50) from a low income community with a high rate of teenage
pregnancy, AIDS, and STDs in San Juan Metro. This intervention was a collaborative effort with social service providers, community leaders and the school
system.
Lessons Learned: To decrease the rate of infection of HIV and STD's in adolescent girls, it is necessary to equip mothers and adolescents with knowledge
and skills about STDs and HIV. For interventions to be successful, communication
skills between them must be enhanced. To fortify the family as a unit it is essential
to understand and overcome social and cultural barriers to communication.
34176 Community mobilization in AIDS care and prevention in
Africa: The experience of a collective of AIDS in the C6te
d'lvoire
Solange Gourey', M. Aguirrel, N. Doumatey1, C. Navigue2. Centre
D'Assistance Socio-Medicale, BP 1021 Cidex 1 Abidjan 06; 2Collective of AIDS,
Ngos in the Cote d'lvoire, Cote d'lvoire
Issue: The dramatic increase in the numbers of people infected or affected by
HIV/AIDS, has prompted the unprecedented mobilization of communities in the
fight against AIDS. Faced with overcrowded hospitals. families can no longer
afford the high cost of health care. Communities are being mobilized and NGOs
are being created to address these issues. In 1992, in the C6te d'lvoire, the need
for the coordination of the growing number of AIDS NGOs became necessary.
Project: More than 60 NGOs are listed as having activities in the fight against
AIDS. The have been regrouped within a central body of coordination, planning
and evaluation. These NGOs have been further regrouped by type of activity,
including; Prevention, Care or Training.
Objectives include; 1. Reinforcing community partnerships. 2. Creating at the
community level, a favorable environment for the care of PWAs by PWAs. 3. Mobilizing human and financial resources. 4. Training NGO members. Developing a
coordinating body linked to the National AIDS program.
Results: The production of a booklet or repertoire listing all AIDS NGOs, and
PWA support groups, their activities ad partnerships. 60 NGOs are presently
members of this collective. 10 NGOs are considered active. 6 of the 10 are
involved in psychosocial support of PWAs. 2 NGOs have AIDS care centers. The
NGOs have made great strides in Public AIDS education and in the improvement
of care, by capacity building.
Lessons Learned: The mobilization of communities against AIDS, has shown
the acceptance of their role in the management of the many consequences of the
AIDS epidemic. Working together is critical to ensure a durable and multisectorial
approach. This work requires the investment of human and financial resources in
active NGOs and associations that are committed to the fight against AIDS.
34177 Needs for volunteers willing to work with an organization
caring for HIV patients
Koffi Alexandre N'Dorin, Clement N'Gessant, Amelie Bambara2, Attai Kabran1,
Brou N'Gorand, Jules Moh1, J. Agness-Soumahoro. ' Usac Chu Treichville
01BPV3, Abidjan 01; 2Lumiere-Action, Abidjan, C6te D' Ivoire
Issues: "Lumiere-Action" is an Ivorian organization helping people with HIV infection in counseling, support, and care. This organization needs members to
support people in global care.
(a) Identify social and professional characteristics of people willing to join an
organization helping people with HIV infection;
(b) Identify the need in training for them;
Projects: A study cross-sectional study of people living with HIV, consulting for
HIV care, and willing to join an organization called "Lumiere-Action" was done in
Abidjan (Cote d'lvoire) in 1996. It is expected that people recruited would help
assist people in counseling and basic care. A questionnaire was administered to
15 people. In this study, only HIV, literate people were enrolled.
Results: All the 15 people were single, with an age under 40. 56% of them
dropped school at one point.
All but one were seeking job.
In order to care for people, all of them need training in nursing, counseling and
IEC.
Lessons learned: Training volunteers to assist people living with AIDS is
essential.
34178 HIVI/AIDS case management: Which perspectives for the
Democratic Republic of Congo (RDC)
Baangi Matela. c/o Ikete Ebale Belotsi BP 3505 Kin-Gombe, Democratic Rep.

Congo
Issues: HIV prevention and case management activities are running in a context
worsening more and more and characterized by a lack of clearly expressed
political will to fund and better organize the fight against HIV/AIDS pandemic.
Thus, the principal aim of the project is to seek out of different approaches and
strategies experienced in RDC, to cope with the socioeconomic burden related to
HIV which could still be sustained.

Project: it is based on available data analysis and review about HIV/AIDS case
management since the spread of the epidemic in 1983 and interview of some
resourceful persons and organizations in order to get informed of their experiences: their success and failure implementing HIV/AIDS activities in a context of
resource scarcity. It is conducted by The Basic Rural Health Project.
Results: Despite a lot of studies conducted and data collected upon different
aspects of HIV struggle, a lot of problems remains and/or arises:
- HIV/AIDS case management activities are less developed in rural area than
in urban ones (lack of tests - personnel not formed nor well paid)
- HIV testing and counseling quite not offered when required;
- Reduced accessibility to health care settings (for economic and geographical
reasons)
Lessons Learned: Social and community mobilization in case of primary health
care activities and structures developing seem to be the best way, for the RDC to
cope with HIV/AIDS epidemic.
S34179 Characterization of the anonimous testing center users
Miguel Angelo Bersani1 2, M.E.P. Magalhaes2, C.R.C. Oliveira2, N.F.M. Duarte2.
'Rua Miguel Motta, No. 400 Altoda Mooca Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo CEP 3191110,
2Programa Municipal DST/AIDS Santos SP, Brazil
Issue: To describe the characteristics of users who seek for anonimous diagnosis
to HIV at the ATC in Santos.
Project: Perform retrospective analisys of data from users' promptuaries of
ATC between January of 1996 and november of 1997, including detailed demographic and behavioral research which allows the analisys of the service impact
over the city population.
Results: The 4367 promptuaries studied showed that 43% were women and
57% men; being 45% between 20 and 29 years old; 57% were single, having
26% a steady partner. Concerning to education, 50% had between 1 and 8 years
of junior school with an average income between USD 100 and USD 700. The
main reason for these people seek for the tests is non protected sexual activity
(61%), being 70% of the individuals identified as heterosexuals.
Lessons Learned: The basic user of the ATC is young, sexually active, low
middle class with basic education, reflecting the epidemiological trend of HIV
infection in Brazil.
34180 The impact of HIV/AIDS prevention and control efforts in
Colombia
Juan Cespedes', J. Castro2, A. Molano2, C. Camargo2. Consultories
Internacionales En Seguridad Social, Calle 72 No. 00-44 E. Apt. 302, Santafe de
Bogota, DC; 2Ministerio De Salud, Bogota; 3Javeriana University, Bogota,
Colombia
Background: Although the cumulative number of AIDS cases in Colombia reported to the Ministry of Health (MOH) increased from 1 to 8,500 between
1983-97, the prevalence of HIV in the country remains relatively low: less than
0.5%. To confront the epidemic, a National HIV/AIDS Control Program was established in 1985 by the MOH, to: 1) secure a safe blood supply, 2) promote
the use of condoms and safe sexual behavior, 3) provide testing, and 4) ensure
adequate care for patients. However, the effectiveness of these measures has
not been assessed.
Methods: To address the issue above an indirect survey technique was developed. Thus, a structured questionnaire covering 40 items, was validated and
applied by telephone interview to 243 experts, selected among various health
organization throughout the country, in order to measure their perceptions and
opinions regarding the influence of HIV/AIDS prevention and control measures
on various characteristics of the general population, including: 1) knowledge and
believes, 2) attitudes, and 3) practices and skills (KAP's).
Results: Of the experts surveyed, 69% believed that the National HIV/AIDS
Control Program had a positive impact on the course of the epidemic. Other
opinions obtained from the experts concerning 40 specific items covering the
level of KAP's in the general population are summarized as follows:

General Characteristics
Knowledge & Beliefs
Attitudes
Practices & Skills

Number of
Specific Items Covered
13
10
7

Range of Responses
41%-88%
35%-95%
40%-73%

Conclusions: The results of this study suggest a positive impact of efforts
by the MOH to contain the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Colombia. An effect of health
promotion measures on the levels of KAP's in the general population concerning
HIV/AIDS prevention is also suggested. These conclusions are consistent with
observed epidemiologic trends in Colombia and congruent with results from surveys, conducted in random samples of the general population, where levels of
KAP's regarding HIV/AIDS prevention of more than 40% were estimated.
S341811 Community based educational programme: Most
effective way of intervention
Kusumlata Jain. 21 Nandpuri Colony Amber Road, Jaipur 302002, India
Issue: Evaluation of community based educational programmes being run among
rural sex workers of Rajasthan State of India.