AEGiS-07IAC: Behavioural transformations and impact of HIV prevention strategies in a community of women in prostitution - indicators of effectivity as modelled through an assessment over linear time.

7th International AIDS Conference


Florence, Italy — June 16-21, 1991

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Behavioural transformations and impact of HIV prevention strategies in a community of women in prostitution - indicators of effectivity as modelled through an assessment over linear time.

Int Conf AIDS 1991 Jun 16-21; 7:461 (abstract no. W.D.4293)
Gilada IS; Dept. of Skin & STD, Grant Medical College, Bombay-400008, India

OBJECTIVE: Effective strategies for contact and communication within the sex industry workers, a community hitherto isolated from the mainstream of society was determined as a research priority, in HIV prevention, given the Third World contexts. It was hypothesized that a step by step sequenced strategy would yield desirable outcomes in comparison to a repeatative one. Attitudinal and behavioural responses to perceptions of 'ones health' and use of condom were marked as transformational elements measurable across linear time.

METHOD: 2 geographically distinct communities of women in prostitution in the city of Bombay were delineated for an 'AIDS awareness' project. A checklist identifying knowledge of S.T.D./HIV attitude towards ones health and use of condom was administered to a randomly selected group within each community. One community was involved through a sequenced program of contact, self-organisation, focussed discussion, street campaigning, condom distribution and print campaign. The other community was involved only for street campaigning and condom distribution. Checklists were administered to random groups in both communities (200 in each).

RESULTS: Assessment of behavioural markers indicated increase in condom use in the first group with significant increase in demand and sales of condoms. Attitudes towards ones health showed a marginal shift.

CONCLUSIONS: A sequenced HIV prevention campaign can be predicted to have more desirable outcome in non-literate and unempowered communities. Modules for a positive attitude of 'health' must be sequenced in programs for modifications (beh).

Keywords: AEGIS, Prostitution, Condoms, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Infections, Evaluation Studies, Program Evaluation, Human, Female, prevention & control, ICA7KWDaegis,prostitution,condoms,acquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome,hivinfections,evaluationstudies,programevaluation,human,female,prevention&control,ica7
910616
WD4293

Copyright © 1991 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.