AEGiS-06IAC: Don't point your life in the wrong direction.

6th International AIDS Conference

San Francisco, California, USA — June 20-23, 1990

Don't point your life in the wrong direction.

Int Conf AIDS 1990 Jun 20-23; 6:338 (abstract no. Th.D.851)
Page I, McCausland J, Moore C; North York Public Health Department, North York, Ontario, Canada

OBJECTIVE: To use a popular medium (rap video) to communicate a direct powerful HIV/AIDS prevention message to youths and young adults in an entertaining and unthreatening manner that avoids "the preaching syndrome".

METHODS: Collaborative initiatives were undertaken with youth from various minority cultural groups, local community resource centre staff and the North York Board of Education to facilitate the production of a four minute rap video (written and performed by resident youth) of commercial broadcast quality for use in secondary schools, post secondary institutions, public bars, taverns, and national television. Dynamic effective marketing strategies accompanied the release of the video to the media and the community at large.

RESULTS: The Rap video, complemented by coasters and T-shirts with a safer sex message has received wide acceptance, including the electronic media in responding to the challenge of communicating the HIV/AIDS prevention message to a culturally diverse population.

CONCLUSION: The medium of rap and/or rock video is an effective means of raising public awareness and could be explored for future HIV drug-related and safer sex messages.

Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Infections, Minority Groups, Communication, Adult, education, ICA6

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ThD851