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

524 Abstracts ThPeD7754-ThPeD7757

XIV International AIDS Conference

representatives of all hospitals. Political guidelines: multidisciplinary aproach of
the HIV problem; agreement in interinstitutionals action lines; strenghten of work
in preventive network, attendance and laboratory field; work together with community organizations; include PVHIV; work in: promotion and accesibility to condom, promotion of HIV testing, harm reduction, prevention vertical trasmission,
facilitate access medication.
Lesson learned: Creation a board between differents sectors. Organization 1st.
Meeting Prevention Politics and Workshop about Strategic Planning where civil
servant and representatives of community. Creation Centers of Prevention, Counseling and Diagnosis with participation of NGO, PVHIV and communitary agents.
Training of hot line operators. Elaboration a magazine about AIDS. Production
and delivery of materials of comunication to estimulate HIV testing and use of
condom. Campaigns in public thoroughfare, radios and papers. Making posters
about prevention in cooperation with the Social Security. Focused delivery of material in joining with NGO and in community places. Creation of a Board of Sexual
Minorities. Development of Epidemiological Surveillance HIV infection. Purchase
and delivery 3 millions condoms.
Recommendation: We propose strategies participatives that articulate what we
have done and allow to establish confidence between participants in order that
each subject feel itself just a spectator but leading of this plan to the control of
epidemy
Presenting author: Claudio Bloch, T.Garcia 2993, CP 1426, Ciudad de Buenos
Aires, Argentina, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: dgasya
@buenosaires.gov.ar
ThPeD7754 The FHI/IMPACT community behaviour change
communication (BCC) assessment tool
P.A.S. Sedlak. Family Health International, Family Health International, 2101
Wilson Boulevard Suite 700, Arlington, VA 22201, United States
Successful community behaviour change communication is challenged by the
lack of a systematic data-gathering instrument for program issues specific to BCC.
It is essential that HIV/AIDS BCC programs be based on solid BCC data gathering
techniques.
Behaviour change communication (BCC) is a key element in promoting HIV/AIDS
prevention and care-seeking behaviour. Communication campaigns should be coordinated, coherent and focused. Successful campaigns are based on strategies
aimed at changing undesirable negative to desirable positive behaviour. Strategy
development is based on a first step of formative research providing background
information on epidemiological, social, behavioural and communication patterns
of groups at risk, as well as on research specific to BCC.
This presentation outlines a BCC formative assessment guide. The guide suggests qualitative methods, such as observation, in-depth interviews, key informant
interviews, focus group discussions, mapping procedures, etc. for thematic modules, each with its own question inventory and suggested methods for information
gathering. BCC themes such as: 1. knowledge, attitudes, preferences, behaviours
of primary and secondary audiences, 2. community infrastructure/BCC agents,
3. media channels, 4. media businesses are covered in the guide. It has been
designed to provide an accurate BCC profile quickly and efficiently. Suggested
methods for specific data groups will be proposed. The guide will also present a
method for the data compilation and organization.
With intensive and systematic initial data gathering, HIV/AIDS prevention and
care programs can be improved. This instrument will be applied to a number of
the 50 country programs of the IMPACT Project.
Over time, it is hoped that the successful application of this instrument in IMPACT
countries, along with its continued refinement, will result in its wider application,
outside the IMPACT country portfolio.
Presenting author: Philip Sedlak, Family Health International, 2101 Wilson
Boulevard Suite 700, Arlington, VA 22201, United States, Tel.: [phone],
Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]
ThPeD7755 Behaviour change intervention in a low prevalent
country: One year experience
SK. Ahmed. National AIDS/STD Programme, Aptt # C4, House # 49, Road #
15/A, Dhanmnondi Residential Area, Dhaka 1209, Bangladesh
The SWOT analysis of evaluation findings of targeted interventions for prevention
of HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh is detailed in this communication. The objective of
the evaluation was to appraise the accomplishments in relation to project goals
and objectives. The strengths identified during the evaluation were need based
and demand driven project objectives, wide geographical coverage and reach of
vulnerable population; previous experiences, acceptance, quality of services and
commitment of the NGOs; involvement of local community; and low overall administrative cost and self sustainability. Weaknesses included lack of adequate
time and poor understanding of behaviour change issues; inadequate addressing
of secondary targets, poor communication between project management, field

implementers, and critical targets; insufficient target specific BCC materials and
inadequate participation of stakeholders in the stages of project cycle; and lack
of proper documentation. The scope and opportunities identified were mainly prioritization of the intervention issue by the government and vast unexplored information base for developing appropriate and need based strategies. Similarly,
threats delineated were principally, erratic supply of condom and turf fight among
implementers due to overlapping of activities. The evaluation findings and recom
mendations of evaluators clearly indicate that, for appropriate implementation and
a desirable impact for a low prevalent situation, multidimensional integrated planning supplemented by other equitable services are necessary. Although it is very
difficult to assess the real impact within one year, the findings however revealed
that the government and the community are reasonably proactive in prioritizing
the HIV/AIDS issues even in a low prevalent situation. The recommendations of
the evaluation clearly indicate that there is a great need to continue the projects
at least for next three years to create an effective impact.
Presenting author: Syed Kamaluddin Ahmed, Aptt # C4, House # 49, Road #
15/A, Dhanmondi Residential Area, Dhaka 1209, Bangladesh, Tel.: [phone]
5789, 912 4869, Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]
ThPeD7756 It Takes a Village: Community Building and HIV
Prevention
R.A. Jones. Utah AIDS Foundation, 1408 South 1100 East, Salt Lake City, UT
84105, United States
Issues: In spite of 15 years of safe sex education, HIV infection rates in urban
America remain at 2-4/year among young gay men. Moreover, infection rates in
rural areas are higher than urban according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC). This suggests that the 'condom code' used by itself as an intervention
has proven to be a simplistic response to a complex set of behaviors.
Historically, prevention programs were based on the flawed notion that there is an
easily defined and homogenous "gay community" Reality necessitates tailoring
the message to the culture within which it operates.
Description: Despite its relatively small gay community, the greater metropolitan
area of Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A. has an impressive number of well-organized
gay organizations. These groups are a good cross-section of the "community"
and different cultural idiosyncrasies.
Utah AIDS Foundation (UAF) developed a program, "The Village," which supports
these groups and helps them to build capacity. The Village also helps interconnect between the existing community organizations. The Village also holds regular discussions based on a holistic approach to HIV Prevention with topics such
as: self-determination, self-esteem and other health issues. Additionally, because
of The Village's portability, it is accessible to rural gay man by means of rural
college student organizations, et al.
Lessons learned: Participants report an increased commitment to practicing
safer sex, a greater sense of self-determination, an increase in discussions about
HIV prevention, a decrease of fatalism about AIDS, greater pride in themselves,
increased awareness of community resources, and a greater sense of individual
and community empowerment.
Recommendation: This research recommends that HIV Prevention programs
develop systems of community-building and capacity building within existing
gay/queer organizations with a holistic approach to HIV Prevention.
Presenting author: Robert Jones, 1408 South 1100 East, Salt Lake City, UT,
84105, United States, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail:
robertj @ utahaids.org
ThPeD7757 Strategies of AIDS prevention in scenarios of
employed crisis
NC. Guastini M.H. Grieco. Hospital Regional Ushuaia, Puerto Almanza 4032,
Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
Issues: Preventing AIDS in scenarios of economic instability is a real challenge
that requires the implementation of particular strategies. AIDS in Ushuaia, a city
with 50.000 inhabitants in Argentina, in Tierra del Fuego Island, presents one of
the highest accumulated incidence of the country. Being the sexual transmission
the principal risk factor (76%). Most of persons with HIV/AIDS are aged 15-29
years. During the last years there has been a progressive impair in the social and
economic level, as in the rest of the country. "Conciencia" is a non governamental
communitary prevention program.
Description: Since 1999, annual projects of community prevention has been designed, the aim is to stimulate safe conducts in the population from 15 to 29 years
old. Each year, 8 to 10 community members are selected. These members have
no experience, but are interested in the AIDS problematic, they are unemployed,
and are recluted to the project as "prevention agents", by employment subsidies,
depending on the National Work Ministry. Each year, the Project consists of the
following steps: training, designing of activities, execution of Activities (interventions for youth and adolescents, that included workshops for school population),
and evaluation of the whole process. The general coordination attends laboral aspects and the technical coordination (medical, psycho-social, and pedagogical) is
responsable of the training and the program conduction.
Lessons learned: This program gave the following benefits: using members of
the own community as prevention agents. Generate a laboral relationship wich
allows getting better results in the activities. Generating employment subsidies
for unemployed people.

Recomendation: This experience recommends to change the traditional voluntary work for other strategies of interventions that integrate HIV prevention and
employed programs, for areas with social crisis.
Presenting author: Nora Guastini, Puerto Almanza 4032, Ushuaia, Tierra del
Fuego, Argentina, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: escuredo@ arnet.com.ar