AEGiS-15IAC: Developing a innovative approach of Participatory Communication (PC) to promote HIV prevention in gay men and MSM of China.

15th International AIDS Conference

Bangkok, Thailand - July 11-16, 2004

Developing a innovative approach of Participatory Communication (PC) to promote HIV prevention in gay men and MSM of China.

Int Conf AIDS 2004 Jul 11-16; 15:(abstract no. E10159)

Gao Y
Centre Office for MSM Health Promotion, Chengdu Sichuan, China

ISSUES: STIs/HIV is having a significant impact among gey men/MSM populations in China, However, official, top-down propaganda using massive social campaigns aimed at increasing the awareness of the disease has not worked in which due to both in punishing approach and difficulties to reach gay/MSM. Successful evidence has clearly demonstrated that collective vulnerability for HIV among gay men group requires HIV prevention to adopt participatory communication (PC) strategy rather than a homogeneous mass media.

DESCRIPTION: 80 gay participants were assigned to an intervention group and 80 gay participants from another relatively comparable community as controls. Pretest-posttest approach was conducted to evaluate effects of peer-based PC in promoting condom use among gay men and MSM. Eight stages of the PC activities were conducted to develop safe-sexual cultural among gay men/MSM with targeting individuals and groups within various gay venues, events and networks.

LESSONS LEARNED: Evidence from this project show that PC strategy among MSM was significant success in both promoting condom negotiation and safe sex among them. Recommendation: The successful elements of PC strategy among MSM from the project have significant importance for policy making, not only in local communities but also in the broader area of gay men and MSM in China.

Keywords: AEGIS, Homosexuality, Male, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Safe Sex, Condoms, Communication, HIV Seropositivity, Mass Media, China, Humans, Male, prevention & control

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E10159