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

XIV International AIDS Conference

Abstracts ThPeF7993-ThPeF7997 589

ThPeF7993 Balancing acts: Negotiating
entertainment-education in a national radio serial
drama to promote HIV/AIDS-related behavior
change in Botswana
M.M. Cassell1, P. Tembo1, E. Lloyd1, C. Galavotti2, L. Seeletso1, T.H. Roels1,
T.A. Kenyon1. I The BOTUSA Project/CDC, c/o BOTUSA Project, PO Box 90,
Plot 5348 Dithlakore Way Gaborone, Botswana; 2US Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, Atlanta, United States
Issues: Much attention has been devoted to the promise of entertainmenteducation strategies to promote HIV/AIDS prevention and care. An effective union
of entertainment and education requires extensive stakeholder negotiation and
dialogue. The evolution and characteristics of mechanisms used to unite entertainment and education in the production of the first national radio serial drama
aired in Botswana are examined.
Description: The Makgabaneng radio drama represents a national effort to provide the residents of Botswana with compelling and credible role models for
HIV/AIDS-related behavior change. Prior to broadcast, stakeholders from a wide
array of social, health and youth-serving organizations came to consensus on behavioral objectives, dramatic themes, and target audiences. This guidance proved
necessary but insufficient to sustain the development of characters in the drama
who could model behavior change processes accurately and credibly while retaining dramatic appeal. To ensure the quality of both the theory-based educational
content and the entertainment value, additional mechanisms were established:
A national committee was formed to supply regular stakeholder feedback and to
secure consensus with respect to draft storylines, and interpersonal relationships
were cultivated among drama writers and programmatic experts in prevention and
care. Reflections on the merits and limitations of these mechanisms were gathered from interviews with drama writers and stakeholder representatives.
Lessons learned: The cultivation of creative dialogue between serial drama
writers and HIV/AIDS program representatives provided opportunities to develop
storylines in which characters more credibly and compellingly modeled behavior
change objectives.
Recommendations: Ongoing and systematic dialogue between artists and scientists may provide entertainment-education strategies with efficient opportunities to create programs that have both broad appeal, and profound impact.
Presenting author: Michael Cassell, c/o BOTUSA Project, PO Box 90, Plot 5348
Dithlakore Way, Gaborone, Botswana, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone],
E-mail: cassl @cdc.gov
ThPeF7994 Internet as information source for Russian
HIV/AIDS specialists and NGOs
N. Chaika. Pasteur Institute, Pasteur Institute, Mira street 14, St.Petersburg,
197101, Russian Federation
Issues: During last several years of the rapid HIV spread in Russia mass media were not properly used for population awareness and prevention campaigns.
Very few web-sites existed and information exposed was no sufficient no updated
regularly.
Description: In summer 1999 special web-site was organised to inform health
care workers and community representatives on all aspects of HIV/AIDS problem
with special attention to primary prevention. This web-site was created in frames
of Canada AIDS Russia Project and had many pages with description of project
activity and information on dynamics of the global AIDS epidemic. Around 2,500
documents were prepared (AIDS articles and short news, recommendations and
best practice collection, conference advertisement and funds available for NGOs).
The average number of visits to this web-site increased from several hundreds per
week in 1999 to about a thousand per week during the last quarter of 2001 (table). Besides electronic versions of all documents 17 issues of newsletter "Global
HIV/AIDS News" were published in 1999-2001. During the last year the web-site
was supported by St.Petersburg Medical Academy for Postgraduate Studies due
to generous grant from WHO/EURO.
June 99 Dec. 99 June 00 Nov. 00 Dec. 01
News (average per week) 12 15 18 20 22
News (cumulative number) 50 400 900 1300 2300
Informations (average per month) 4 5 7 8 3
Informations (cumulative number) 23 50 85 125 150
Visits (per week) 300 500 800 ~1100 ~1000
Lessons learned: The site with HIV/AIDS information in Russian was used intensively by specialists of state AIDS centres, other health care workers and representatives of AIDS-service NGOs. Printed version of the Russian newsletter with
global HIV/AIDS news was also very useful. The Russian Ministry of Health has
no any resources to support this site.
Recommendations: The Russian web-site with updated information on
HIV/AIDS should be maintained continuously and updated regularly. Because
shortages in state public health budget the financial support of this web-site by

foreign partners and sponsors is critical.
Presenting author: Nikolai Chaika, Pasteur Institute, Mira street 14,
St.Petersburg, 197101, Russian Federation, Tel.: [phone], Fax: +7
(812) 232 92 17, E-mail: [email protected]

ThPeF7995 Strengthening media response to HIV/AIDS in
Nigeria
P.D. Olufemi-Kayode. Journalists Againsts AIDS (JAAIDS) Nigeria, 1st Floor, 42,
Ijaye Road, Ogba, Lagos, Nigeria
Issue: Limited interaction and information flow between the media and HIV/AIDS
stakeholders has restricted media involvement in current response to HIV/AIDS
in Nigeria.
Description: In 2001, Journalists Against AIDS (JAAIDS) Nigeria, a media -
based NGO commenced monthly media roundtables to facilitate collaboration
between activists, policy makers, NGOs and the media as well as provide a forum to update journalists knowledge on current HIV/AIDS issues. Roundtables
were organised from June - Nov. 2001. Experts within and outside Nigeria were
invited to speak on diverse issues on HIV/AIDS. Topics ranging from 'condoms
as a HIV/STI prevention option', Islamic responses to HIV/AIDS, Experience of
People Living With HIV/AIDS, Herbal Remedies for HIV-related Opportunistic Infections, Journalists encounters with HIV/AIDS, Facts about HIV/AIDS Statistics
were treated.
Lesson learned: Through media monitoring of coverage of roundtables, it was
discovered that quality coverage of HIV/AIDS issues improved in national and
state media. Most of the national papers, magazines and broadcast stations are
situated in Lagos, the location of the research. Use of language in the context of
HIV/AIDS reporting also improved. As a fallout of the interactive sessions, interviews were conducted with PLWHAs. In addition, human angle stories on PLWHA
and coverage went beyond health pages/columns. A good number of journalists
became advocates. The roundtable opened information flow between activists
and media.
Recommendations: For an effective media response to HIV/AIDS, it is crucial
to engage the media for any positive intervention programme. The national programme should be developed and designed to efficiently reach the majority of
media practitioners and gatekeepers. The National AIDS Control Agency should
incorporate a large-scale media involvement in its intervention plan and programmes through roundtables, bulletins, eforum, and training workshops.
Presenting author: Princess Olufemi-Kayode, 1st Floor, 42, Ijaye Road, Ogba,
Lagos, Nigeria, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: resourcecentre @ nigeria-aids.org
ThPeF7996 Confidential, anonymous Informative Telephone
Line (LTI, spanish) about HIV/AIDS, sexuality and
sex transmitted diseases
J.F.F. Font. Corporaci6n Chilena de Prevenci6n del SIDA, Casilla 49 Correo22,
Santiago, Chile
Issues: Confidential, anonymous Informative Telephone Line (LTI, spanish) about
HIV/AIDS, sexuality and sex transmitted diseases
Description: The Informative Telephone Line appears in 1988 in Santiago de
Chile as an answer for the growing questions of male homo/bisexual population.
Nowadays in the third millenium, we are one of the few institutions providing this
service, together with the informative phone line provided by the Government.
The LTI arose from a group of people belonging to a discriminated sexual minority which paradoxically has been the unique to deliver such service for thirteen
years to Chilean people.
Leasons learned: The Informative Telephone Line has become the program that
has contacted the major quantity of people using our services. By means of this
line, HIV/positive people have been invited to take part in our talk sesions and
has attracted a great number of homosexual men to the institution, who have become involved with the preventive work. Even though LTI is adressed to the whole
population, according to our registered statistics the community that primarily has
profited of it is the homo/bisexual population. This group of people shows more
concern on this subject. The use of this service and the quantity of calls has been
directly influenced by the information about this subject managed by the public
agenda, by means of social campaigns published by media.
Recomendation: As in our country the number of people developing AIDS will
noticeably decrease, the information telephone line will search for a way in order
to train phone operators on subjects related to adherence, re infection and reinforcement of preventive behaviour. This point is very important since we think that
larger acccess to medication might lead to a relax of preventive behaviour.
Presenting author: Juan Font, Casilla 49 Correo22, Santiago, Chile, Tel.:
+56+2+2228356, Fax: +56+2+6659367, E-mail: [email protected]
ThPeF7997 The CDC HIV, STD, and TB Prevention News
Update: A current awareness resource for the AIDS
community
M.D.F LaFlam. CDC National Prevention Information Network, ASI, 8401
Colesville Road, Suite 200, Silver Spring, MD 20910, United States

Issues: Keeping abreast of the many issues and events occurring each day in the
HIV/AIDS community can be a daunting task. It is vital that AIDS organizations
and consumers have access to the latest news regarding this disease. Delivered
in a timely and manageable format, a current awareness service can assist professionals and laypersons in making decisions that will affect a wide range of
issues from personal healthcare to public policy.
Description: The CDC HIV, STD, and TB Prevention News Update is a