AEGiS-15IAC: A Socio-cultural approach to HIV prevention in Namibia, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.

15th International AIDS Conference

Bangkok, Thailand - July 11-16, 2004

A Socio-cultural approach to HIV prevention in Namibia, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.

Int Conf AIDS 2004 Jul 11-16; 15:(abstract no. WeOrD1253)

Edmondson JC, Mfune P, Kamanga A, Raimundo I, Namuumda C
UNFPA, Harare, Zimbabwe

ISSUES: A socio-cultural approach to HIV prevention has been developed in a multi- country project sponsored by 4 research institutions and UNFPA. The overall aim is to accelerate behavioural change in HIV prevention by making interventions (service delivery, BCC and advocacy) more reflective of local socio-cultural conditions and hence more effective. The basic premise of the Project is that current programme interventions are overly generic and do not resonate well enough with local populations hence explaining the long lag between HIV awareness and behavioural change.

DESCRIPTION: The Project is a collaboration between local research institutions, UNFPA, stakeholders, and client communities. The strategy includes a Five Step Process: 1) rapid socio-cultural research for identifying the "socio-cultural antecedents to behavioural change;" 2) dissemination of research results to communities by communities; 3) establishment of ongoing community discussion groups for formulation of action agendas; 4) dissemination of research results to programme managers (clinical services, BCC, and advocacy) to improve interventions; 5) establishment of ongoing relationships between community groups and programme managers for continuous feedback and fine-tuning of interventions.

LESSONS LEARNED: The Project has been very successful on a number of levels:1)garnering enthusiastic community support for programme activities; 2) identifying critical socio-cultural and issues which are being thoroughly discussed and acted upon at community-level meetings; 3) providing socio-cultural data for the design of programme interventions; 4) gaining widespread approval of government, stakeholders, researchers and community leaders.

RECOMMENDATIONS: There is much scope for improvement of HIV prevention activities (services, BCC and advocacy). The pace of behavioural change may be greatly enhanced by improved interventions which address local community needs more specifically, especially the "socio-cultural antecedents of behavioural change" and related issues.

Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Namibia, HIV Infections, Health Planning Guidelines, HIV Seropositivity, Humans, ethnology, prevention & control, organization & administration

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