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

XIV International AIDS Conference

Abstracts ThPeD7749-ThPeD7753 523

5) Disseminating prevention messages and promoting healthy behaviors. The
girls living in the street themselves do this for their peers, accompanied by educators and the AAES team.
Results: 1) The demand for voluntary HIV-AIDS tests has increased.
2) Requests to treat addictions have been submitted.
3) Increased requests for psychological treatment, motivated by sexual violence.
Conclusions: This project favored the incorporation of healthy behaviors, thus
demanded more care from the health sector. The demand for condoms to prevent HIV-AIDS and early pregnancies has also increased. Their peers adequately
understood the messages elaborated by the girls.
Presenting author: Ana Maria Corral, Ravignani 1329, c.p.: 1414, Bs. As., Argentina, Tel.: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]
ThPeD7749 Health resource center-a question of sustainability
D. Catulonq. Bidlisiw foundation, inc., 24 apartment a, colon street, cebu city
6000, Philippines
Issue: There is so much pressure for projects with drop-in centers or treatment facilities to make it sustainable with counterparts coming from the target populationhigh risk individuals or children and young people. But is it really possible?
Description: The HRC is located at the heart of the city's red light district. It caters
to the needs of the high -risk population for STD diagnosis and treatment utilizing
the syndromic approach. It also provides risk reduction counseling and prevention
case management services aside from being a condom and IEC outlet.
Initially, patients coming to the HRC were referrals from outreach workers and
peer educators however over a period of five years, walk-in patients are slowly
increasing which reflects the center's credibility and most importantly the target
population's acceptance of this facility.
Total consultation at the clinic totaled 12,300 patients. More than half are men-atrisks comprising 67%. The female freelance sex worker is a significant proportion
at 29%. About 5% are children- average of 15 years old. Majority of the clients
charge between 1-2 USD per sex work which is barely enough for their daily
needs. Six percent of all STD cases did not buy the cheap STD medicines at the
HRC.
Lessons learned/Recommendations: Making treatment facilities or resource
centers catering to specific population sustainable is more a dream than a reality
For this marginalized sector, it will continue to rely on services which charge less
or none at all.
Presenting author: debra maria catulong, 24 apartment a, colon street, cebu
city, 6000, Philippines, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]
ThPeD7750 HIV/AIDS hotline: Concerns and sexual practices of
the under 25 population in Chile
T Zubarew1, H. Hernandez2, M.I. Romero1, A. Arredondo2, V.M. Lopez',
V. Parra3, L. Villarroel1, F. Artigas3. 1Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia
Universidad Catolica de Chile, marcoleta 367, santiago, Chile; 2 Comision
Nacional del SIDA, Ministerio de Salud, Santiago, Chile; 3 Hotline on HIV/AIDS,
FONOSIDA, Santiago, Chile
Background: FONOSIDA, an HIV hotline, was implemented in Chile in 1997 by
the National Commission on AIDS to provide information and counselling. Objectives: To describe the demographic characteristics of adolescent s and young
adults using the service and reasons for calling; evaluate sexual risk behaviours;
and analyse the outcomes of the calls.
Methods: Data from the FONOSIDA database were analysed using Access, EpiInfo 6.04, and SPSS. Chi square tests were applied when appropriate.
Results: FONOSIDA received an average of 5,000 calls/month in 2001. 63%
of calls were made by youth 10-24 years. The most frequent callers were adolescents 15-19 (32%). 26% of the population 10-24 called two or more times.
General information on HIV/AIDS (GI) was sought by 93% of 10-14 year olds
and 70% of those 15-19. The second most frequently asked question related to
risk perception derived from personal behaviour (29%). Among the 20-24 group
45% sought GI and 46% asked about sexual risk behaviours. The most common
questions were related to transmission and prevention (55%), HIV tests (16%),
and condom use (11%). Sexual orientation was informed by 36% of callers: 74%
heterosexual, 20% homosexuals and 6% bisexuals. 57% had a sexual partner,
increasing with age. 5% of women and 23% of men defined themselves as homosexuals. Having sex with others was informed by 36% of callers; 64% had
more than one partner (women 45% and men 71%) and 57% had sexual contact
with an unknown person. The professional operators delivered information 63%,
evaluated risk behaviours 27%, provided counselling 7%, and emotional support
2% of the time.
Conclusion: This study demonstrates that youth need more information on
HIV/AIDS. An important number of callers are engaging in risky behaviour.
FONOSIDA represents an important source of counselling and support, and has

filled an important void in AIDS information dissemination for young people.
Presenting author: tamara zubarew, marcoleta 367, santiago, Chile, Tel.: +56 9
330 6563, Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]

ThPeD7751 Reducing the vulnerability of adolescent girls
through an intervention program designed to
address their needs and their immediate
environment
G. Sodhi, M. Verma, S. Sen. NGO, New Delhi, India
Background: In Asia 60 percent of the new infections of HIV/AIDS are found
among people below 25 years. In India 3.9 million, a tenth of the world's prevalence of HIV infected people are found and one fifth of India's total population
comprising of adolescents. Hence, there is a need to address the adolescent
vulnerability towards HIV/AIDS. Swaasthya, a Delhi based NGO, developed a reproductive and sexual health Intervention program to reduce the vulnerability of
adolescent girls by addressing their knowledge levels, perception and their immediate environment.
Methods: To measure the impact of the intervention developed and implemented
by Swaasthya in an urban slum, a survey was conducted with a sample of randomly selected 401 unmarried adolescent girls of 12-22 age group.
Results: The bivariate analysis shows that; exposure the intervention program
increases the level of knowledge, and positive perspectives on reproductive and
sexual health issues and support from the gatekeepers, which further enhance
the levels of perceived autonomy of the adolescent girls.
The multivariate analysis shows that a girl reporting interaction with Swaasthya
intervention program is 1.8 times more likely to have high levels of perceived autonomy. Girls who have attended Swaasthya's skills building program are nearly 7
times more likely to be reporting high levels of perceived autonomy contrast from
those who have not attended this program.
Girls with high levels of RSH knowledge are 3.2 times more likely to report high
levels of perceived autonomy as compared to those with low RSH knowledge.
Predictive power of both supportive gatekeepers and positive perspective scores
is 1.7.
Conclusions: Intervention should address the adolescent girls along with their
immediate environment, to enhance their perceived autonomy. It is expected that
these change will culminate in decreasing vulnerability of adolescent girls to the
negative outcome of the sexual intimacy.
Presenting author: Geeta Sodhi, G-1323, C.R. Park, New Delhi - 100 019, India,
Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected].
in
ThPeD7752 Using communication to fight HIV/AIDs; the case of
stepping stones
J.N.K. Namulondo. Uganda AIDS Commission, PO. Box 9117, Kampala,
Uganda, Uganda
Background: Stepping Stones is a communication Model developed in Masaka,
Uganda as one of the strategies to help communities explore root causes and
address the AIDS problem through local initiatives or solutions. The model is well
documented in both oral and visual (video) forms. Participants organise themselves into peer groups based on age or sex. In some sessions meetings are
held for all peers. The use of drama, tabloos, songs, video, etc. offers an environment that sustains interest, while peer grouping creates confidentiality that
encourages everyone to express and share their personal experiences freely.
Methods: A participatory evaluation was done in 2 rural communities of
Nabirumba, in the east and Kabanga in the central regions that had done Stepping Stones a year back. The evaluation team included external experts (from the
UK), local Stepping Stones promoters and trainers, community beneficiaries of
Stepping Stones from four different communities and local leaders. The process
used participatory rural approaches and techniques
Results: In both communities, the evaluation revealed that Stepping Stones empowered women, men and young people to talk about sex and sexuality; communication improved between couples and among families; young people started to
adopt safe sex behaviours, including condom use; couples reported reduction in
number of sexual partners and alcohol consumption; girls and boys reported good
and friendly communications with their parents and other elders; many reported
health seeking behaviours improved and some sought voluntary counselling and
HIV testing, etc. Among other key results were ability gained to disclose sero
status to partners and the care and support that was reciprocated
Conclusions: Stepping Stones is powerful and provides great opportunity to
analyse problems, identify causes and propose solutions existing within communities and encourages proper communication that is key in HIV prevention
Presenting author: Joyce Namulondo, PO. Box 9117, Kampala, Uganda,
Uganda, Tel.: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]
ThPeD7753 Buenos Aires AIDS Department: transversal work
and articulation to control the epidemy
F Silva Nieto, C.R. Bloch. AIDS Department, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Issues: AIDS epidemy in the city is in phase of generalization. In this context, the
Government of Buenos Aires city created at the end of 2000 the AIDS Department, as a politic commitment to control the epidemy. The Depatment proposed
as objetive to build a model of transversal management and with wide participation.
Description: Creation of interdisciplinary team with a vision of horizontal articulation of the strenght of diferents socials actors. Integration a AIDS Network with