AEGiS-15IAC: Internet alerts: A useful HIV prevention tool for local & state level organizations.

15th International AIDS Conference

Bangkok, Thailand - July 11-16, 2004

Internet alerts: A useful HIV prevention tool for local & state level organizations.

Int Conf AIDS 2004 Jul 11-16; 15:(abstract no. C10263)

Kachur R, McFarlane M, Middlekauff S
CDC, Atlanta, United States

ISSUES: Since 1998, the Division of STD Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) has been providing Public Health Internet Alerts to headquarters-based and in-field staff. An outcome evaluation of the project reveals the Alerts to be very useful for HIV/STD education & prevention efforts among its recipients.

DESCRIPTION: The Public Health Internet Alert project provides information about high-risk sexual behaviors and events advertised on-line to project areas that do not have access to the Internet or to sexually explicit material on the Internet. One of the objectives of the project is to assist programs in using this information to improve STD/HIV health education, prevention, counseling and testing to at-risk populations.

LESSONS LEARNED: An outcome evaluation was conducted to determine whether the project is meeting its objectives of raising awareness and knowledge among project participants. A survey was distributed to all known recipients of the Internet Alerts (n=26). The evaluation found that the information provided within the Alerts raised recipient's knowledge and awareness, helped to establish collaborations with local organizations, directed testing and counseling efforts, and guided future funding. Notably, the Alerts provide valuable information to in-field public health workers, who use the information to conduct HIV/STD health education, outreach, counseling and testing.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Results from this evaluation showed the need to continue and expand the Internet Alert Project. More importantly, it would be extremely valuable for local level organizations to implement similar programs in order to conduct the research themselves. The authors recommend that the CDC provide training to in-field staff on implementing their own programs in addition to advocating for full-internet access & monitoring in areas where access is currently restricted. Additionally, the authors feel that similar programs implemented internationally would have comparable results.

Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Organizations, Internet, Health Education, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.), HIV Infections, Counseling, Sexual Behavior, Data Collection, HIV Seropositivity, Teaching, Public Health, Research, prevention & control, education, organization & administration

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C10263