Telephone AIDs helpline attached with inter acting voice response system is good IEC strategy for AIDS prevention in general population.
Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. G12502)
Malodia LK AIDS control society Ahmedabad, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
How to do IEC for AIDs/STds prevention in general population who are shy to discussand their sexual problems and avoid the health services ? Description- India is a country where the Hindu supreme god Shiva ' s idol is worshipped in Sexual act,a has temples of khajuraho on sexual methods and education, but in general population sex i taken as guilt and people are shy to discuss and do not avail the health services. It was very difficult to reach the general population for the AIDS /STDs awarenessand counselling services. We started 24 hours toll free unlinked AIDS Helpline (1097)and counseling services attached with Inter Acting Voice Response System, having three langauges option, subject options of HIV/AIDS/STDs / Testing/Treatment and online counselling and option to put question and retrieve the answer next day. It has the sources option which helps us in finding outfrom where people are knowing about this Helpline 1097. so far we have received 225 thousandcalls since April,1999. Online counseling requires patience and good capacity in counselor to handle all types of questions and even malicious calls. It should have multiple in coming telephones lines. Counseling services can improve the attendence, treatment compliance in patients and their partners. Lessons and recommendations- 1. It is good strategy where society is shy and feel guilt in discussing sex problems/STDs and do not avail health services. 2. People easily avail the unlinked, 24 hours, toll free AIDS helpline as they are really ignorant about sexual problems. 3.Some people in beginnig take advantage of sex related discussion with female counselor but patience and expert handling can check this. 4.AIDS helpline requires regular advertisement of its availability through effective media known by the source information. 5. Counseling can change behaviour and improve the STD clinic Attendence,treatment compliance by patient sand partners. 4.
Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Infections, Counseling, HIV Seropositivity, Health Services, India, Female, Human, prevention & control
