An evaluation of the use of drama to communicate HIV/AIDS information. NLM AIDSLINE Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1999. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

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An evaluation of the use of drama to communicate HIV/AIDS information.

AIDS Educ Prev. 1999 Jun;11(3):203-11. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/99335769
Valente TW; Bharath U; Department of Population and Family Health Sciences, School of; Hygiene and Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore,; MD 21205, USA. tvalente@jhsph.edu

Abstract: This study evaluated the effectiveness of three dramas created to disseminate HIV/AIDS information. Predrama and postdrama interviews were conducted with a cohort of randomly selected audience members from ten separate performances in Tamil Nadu state, India (N = 93); an interview was also conducted with a postdrama--only comparison group (N = 99). The results showed that a significant increase in HIV/AIDS-related knowledge occurred as a result of watching the drama. Before the drama, audiences had relatively high levels of accurate knowledge about HIV/AIDS but lower knowledge levels of common HIV/AIDS misconceptions. The drama reduced these misconceptions. The drama also increased the level of reported intentions to treat HIV positive individuals more kindly. This research demonstrates that drama can be an effective medium for communicating HIV/AIDS information and can reduce knowledge gaps associated with low levels of formal education. Drama can also be used to convey socioemotive and sensitive material and could find wide applicability in many settings.
Keywords: JOURNAL ARTICLE Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/PREVENTION & CONTROL Adolescence Adult Age Factors Cohort Studies Comparative Study *Drama Education Female Health Education/*METHODS Human HIV Infections/*PREVENTION & CONTROL India Interviews Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice Male Marital Status Middle Age Random Allocation Sex FactorsKWDjournalarticleacquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome/prevention&controladolescenceadultagefactorscohortstudiescomparativestudyKWDdramaeducationfemalehealtheducation/KWDmethodshumanhivinfections/KWDprevention&controlindiainterviewsknowledge,attitudes,practicemalemaritalstatusmiddleagerandomallocationsexfactors
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