AEGiS-14IAC: Participatory approach to developing and implementing an interactive training module to sensitize health care workers on HIV/AIDS issues

AEGiS-14IAC: Participatory approach to developing and implementing an interactive training module to sensitize health care workers on HIV/AIDS issues - Experiences from India.

14th International AIDS Conference

Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

Participatory approach to developing and implementing an interactive training module to sensitize health care workers on HIV/AIDS issues - Experiences from India.

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. TuOrF1210)

George B, Jadav S, Mahendra VS, Mudoi RJ, Samson L, Gilborn L
SHARAN, New Delhi, India

ISSUES: Fears and misconceptions affect attitudes of health care workers (HCWs), which can lead to stigma and discrimination towards PLHA in health care settings. Data from baseline survey of doctors, nurses, ward boys and sweepers in 3 participating hospitals in Delhi, India, guided development of an interactive training guide to encourage and support positive attitudes among HCWs towards HIV+ and other patients in resource-constrained settings.

DESCRIPTION: An interactive facilitator's guide, for use in hospitals, was compiled from existing training modules and inputs from local AIDS service organizations. It was used among groups of 20 doctors, 30 nurses and 20 ward boys/sweepers in 2 government hospitals over a period of 6 -10 interactive sessions, including at a counselling centre and an NGO hospice. The guide has modules on group building; basics of HIV/AIDS and universal precautions; HIV testing and counseling; confidentiality; stigma, law and ethics; and continuum of care approach. Pre-training and post-training questionnaires were used to assess impact of the sensitization program. Participants and facilitators gave feedback on the training and the structure, contents, and methods which will be integrated into the facilitator's guide.

ISSUES: The facilitator's guide has proven to be a useful and flexible tool for sensitizing HCWs in a participatory manner. The interactive nature of sessions was appreciated by all HCWs. Among the 3 groups of HCWs, there was a substantial increase in post-training scores on knowledge of basics of HIV/AIDS, universal precautions and post exposure prophylaxis, and on attitudes about confidentiality, stigma and ethics. Inputs from participants and facilitators were important for developing a successful guide.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Participatory teaching and learning approaches can be effectively used to address AIDS-related attitudes and improve knowledge of technical issues among HCWs and should be used more widely.

Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Infections, Health Personnel, HIV Seropositivity, Universal Precautions, Nurses, Counseling, Physicians, Attitude of Health Personnel, Teaching, Students, Medical, Questionnaires, India, Male, Human, education

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