Abstract Book Vol. 2 [International Conference on AIDS (14th: 2002: Barcelona, Spain)]

518 Abstracts ThPeD7726-ThPeD7729

XIV International AIDS Conference

Highways with interventions designed to reach different target groups. These include community project partners, female garment factory workers, uniformed
personnel, community youth, people living with HIV/AIDS, children affected by
AIDS and the communities in which they live.
Lessons learned: These key strategies can be integrated in field-based projects
with a range of target groups. The capacity and commitment of project partners at
the local, regional and national levels is critical to the success of these projects.
Recommendation: Qualitative and quantitative data will be obtained to measure
the effectiveness of this integrated approach at impact and outcome levels. These
results will contribute to the implementation of the National Strategic Plan for a
Comprehensive and Multisectoral Response to HIV/AIDS 2001-2005 in Cambodia.
Presenting author: Thoeun Ros, World Vision Cambodia, Central Post Office,
PO.Box 479, Phnom Penh, CAMBODIA, Cambodia, Tel.: [phone], Fax:
[phone], E-mail: [email protected]
ThPeD7726 The HIV/AIDS telephone helpline service: trends of
community responses to HIV/AIDS awareness
intervention
A.C.N. Akola C.O.T. Odongo, R.B.K. Byaruhanga. Counselor, joint clinical
research center, p. o. box 10005, mengo, kampala, Uganda
Background: Community educators on HIV/AIDS need to keep abreast with the
peoples' responses for them to have an impact on their knowledge and attitudes,
which may change with time. the hiv/aids telephone helpline is a supplementary
awareness facility at joint clinical research center(jcrc) which enables free anonymous counseling and provision of information about hiv/aids to callers.
Methods: From October 1993, the Telephone Helpline service was periodically
publicized in the Uganda media. Demographic data was recorded and analyzed
in the first year after installation (19.10.1993 - 18.10.1994). It was compared with
data analyzed 6 years later (19.10.99 - 19.10.2000) to discover the trend of community concerns over that period. Only age, sex, marital status, town they were
calling from and their concerns were recorded. Myths were corrected, information
and appropriate referrals were given.
Results: Demand for clinical services went up(8.7% to 33.8%)so did that for
knowledge on antiretroviral drugs(ARVs) and their prices(12.9% to 29.6%). Concerns relating sickness to HIV/AIDS reduced(22.5% to 2.8%), so did inquiries
about modes of transmission(26.5% to 8.5%). Issues on sexuality, marriage and
family planning in relation to HIV also reduced(7.8% to 4.2%).
Conclusions: Although basic knowledge about HIV/AIDS is still necessary in the
country, community educators should now be more inclined towards HIV management, availability and costs of ARVs. the community responded with a higher demand for clinical and laboratory services offered at jcrc after gaining more knowledge about modes of transmission of hiv/aids, its symptoms and availability of
drugs.
Presenting author: christine akola, joint clinical research center, p. o. box 10005,
mengo, kampala, Uganda, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail:
akolachristine @yahoo.com
ThPeD7727 HIV prevention issues for American Indians and
culturally appropriate HIV prevention strategies for
rural American Indian communities
M. Sabori1, G. Sabori2. 'Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc., 2214 North Central
Ave, Suite 100, United States; 2Gila River Indian Community, Sacaton, United
States
Issues: American Indians throughout the United States face many challenges in
preventing HIV and managing those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. For many
American Indian communities, there is a severe lack of resources allocated to HIV
prevention. Presumably, other health and social ills such as diabetes, alcoholism,
etc. are identified as top health priorities by tribal health officials. However, the
rates of new HIV cases within the American Indian population are increasing.
Description: The 1998 National Native HIV/AIDS Needs Assessment was the
first national attempt to assess the training and technical assistance needs of
HIV prevention programs serving American Indian populations. The needs assessment surveyed a variety of subjects to gain a comprehensive perspective of
the epidemiological, organizational development, collaboration, social science research, and biomedical research within American Indian urban and rural communities. The survey subjects included tribal HIV prevention providers, Indian Health
Service (IHS) Service Units, State Health Departments, Substance Abuse Program Directors, Tribal Health Directors, Tribal Leaders, and urban Indian Health
Program Directors. The findings have greatly impacted the planning and advocacy for HIV prevention, as well as increased the funding capacity of some urban
and tribal programs.
Lessons Learned: The impact of HIV/AIDS has greatly affected American Indian
urban and rural communities. However, the urgency for HIV prevention may not

be a health priority as identified by tribal health officials and tribal leaders as they
struggle to manage other health challenges.
Recommendations: The need to integrate HIV prevention into existing health
services has become a major initiative. This ensures that comprehensive health
maintenance is coupled with prevention and improves the standards of care for
American Indians across the United States.

Presenting author: Michelle Sabori, 2214 North Central Ave, Suite 100, United
States, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: michelle.sabori
@itcaonline.com
ThPeD7728 Incorporation of innovative life skills in an ongoing
comprehensive HIV risk reduction intervention
among street children of Nizamuddin, Delhi, India
N. Sahay1, A. Sahal, E. Nassirl, M. Ekstrand2, J. Mandel2. ' TORCH, 45
Friends Colony East, New Delhi, 110065, India; 2UCSF-CAPS, San Francisco,
United States
Issues: Innovative life skills training needs to be included in ongoing HIV/AIDS
awareness & prevention programs to encourage street & working children's participation.
Description: The spread of HIV & other STIs among the street children of Delhi is
a great concern. Previous studies show early onset of sexual activity, with many
children reporting using sex as a source of affection or in exchange for protection. TORCH, a Delhi-based NGO began working with street & slum children in
1998. Project Flower addresses the needs of these children by including literacy &
vocational training in addition to HIV/AIDS education, individual counseling, condom use skills, coping & negotiating skills. We have demonstrated increases in
HIV/AIDS-related knowledge, more positive condom attitudes, & increased condom self efficacy. Anecdotal reports indicate that many boys are paid for anal sex;
they also have sex with female sex workers. At the end of the program, all participants were able to do condom demonstrations & many continue to come for
condoms. Vocational training has been successful among children who attended
consistently. Project Flower has been offered to more than 2000 boys & 600 girls.
To encourage regular attendance, we started giving English lessons; this has
been received enthusiastically, participation has sharply increased & their grasp
on HIV issues has improved.
Lessons learned: An enabling environment for boys to practice safe sex or abstain has been created & we are able to openly discuss risky sex. Several runaway
boys now go to night school & stay in shanties rented by TORCH. Our HIV/AIDS
& life-skills program has become more effective & appealing, in part due to the
innovation of teaching English. Attendance is higher & participants freely discuss
HIV, condom use & safe sex.
Recommendations: Setting-specific factors, such as prestige attached to knowledge of English, need for life skills, etc, ameliorate acceptability of HIV prevention
campaigns for youth.
Presenting author: Nalini Sahay, 45 Friends Colony East, New Delhi, 110065, India, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]
ThPeD7729 Behavioral risks for HIV/STI in Chennai, India:
Results of a community random sample in 2001
D.D. Celentanol, A.K. Srikrishnan 2, V.F. Go', C.J. Sethulaksmi2, S. Sivaram 1,
A.G. Murugavel 2, M. Marx 1, S. Solomon2. 'Johns Hopkins University
Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, United States; 2 YRG CARE,
Chennai, India
Background: India is thought to have the greatest number of HIV cases outside
of Sub-Saharan Africa. The extent to which HIV has affected the general population is unknown. This study, part of the NIMH Collaborative HIV/STD Prevention
Trial, was a random sample of the slum-dwelling population in Chennai, southern
India.
Methods: In 2000-2001 we enumerated 30 urban slum communities with 250 -500 families each. We randomly selected 65 adults (18-40 years) for a behavioral
interview and specimen collection as part of a health camp conducted (April -
June 2001) for all community residents.
Results: A total of 1631 participants had complete study data (90.1% response
rate), of whom 53% were female, and 71% were married (63% of males, 77% of
females). Behavioral risk for HIV/STI is high among men, and very rare in women.
8% of unmarried men and 7% of married men report commercial sex, while 7%
and 5%, respectively, report homosexual sex. Nearly one-half of married men reported 2+ lifetime casual partners, and almost none reported condom use outside
of marriage. 12.1% and 8.7% of married and unmarried men reported drug use,
while 21.6% and 8.7%, respectively reported daily alcohol use. 12% of married
and 5% of unmarried men reported STD symptoms. However, risk and disease
appear independent: 1% of men and 0.2% of women were HIV infected. HSV-2
was common (13.3%) and HCV (2.9%) was not associated with any sexual risk;
syphilis (1.1%), chlamydia (0.4%) and gonorrhea (0.4%) were quite rare.
Conclusions: Risk for HIV/STI exist in the slum communities of Chennai, but are
mostly confined to a small group of men. The HIV epidemic has yet to become
generalized in Southern India, offering the hope that intensive and comprehensive
prevention campaigns may be successful at the community level.
Presenting author: Vivian Go, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public
Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, E6007, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United

States, United States, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]