Community-Based Research among Marginalized HIV Populations: Issues of Support, Resources, and Empowerment

jlevy — Fri, 17 May 2013 19:33:46 +0000

Author:

Mario Brondani

Nardin R. Moniri

R. Paul Kerston

Publication Date

Monday, July 22, 2013

Affiliation:

Faculty of Dentistry-Oral Health Science, University of British Columbia (Brondani), Faculty of Integrated Sciences, University of British Columbia (Moniri), Treatment Outreach and Community Representation and Engagement, Positive Living Society of British Columbia (Kerston)

"In the case of our experience, the involvement of people living with HIV/AIDS prompted us to develop this study as one of the local HIV resource organization, as our unit of identity, told us that 'given the discrepancy between the demographics of HIV cases in Vancouver and the demographics of our current members, what are the educational and service needs of those we are not reaching?'"

Web link:

Click here to read the full text of this document online.

Contact Information:

Mario Brondani - University of British Columbia

Source:

Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases, Volume 2012 (2012), Article ID 601027, accessed May 17 2013.

Policy Environment and Male Circumcision for HIV Prevention: Findings from a Situation Analysis Study in Tanzania

jlevy — Fri, 17 May 2013 17:39:22 +0000

Author:

Joseph R Mwanga

Mwita Wambura

Jacklin F Mosha

Gerry Mshana

Frank Mosha

John Changalucha

Publication Date

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Affiliation:

National Institute for Medical Research, Tanzania

This Tanzanian study is part of a situation analysis to understand the attitudes of policy makers and other key community and health authority decision makers towards male circumcision (MC), the policy and regulatory environment, and the readiness of a health system to accommodate scaling up of MC services. MC has been shown to be effective against heterosexual acquisition of HIV infection and is being scaled up as an additional strategy against HIV in several countries of Africa. [Footnotes removed throughout by the editor.]

Web link:

Click here to read the full text of this document online.

Contact Information:

Joseph R Mwanga - National Institute for Medical Research

Source:

BMC Public Health 2011, 11:506, accessed May 17 2013. Image credit: IRIN Africa

Keeping Them in "STYLE": Finding, Linking, and Retaining Young HIV-Positive Black and Latino Men Who Have Sex with Men in Care

jlevy — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:46:42 +0000

Author:

Lisa B. Hightow-Weidman

Justin C. Smith

Erik Valera

Derrick D. Matthews

Patrick Lyons

Publication Date

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Affiliation:

Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

This research evaluates the effectiveness of a programme created for HIV-infected African-American and Latino young men who have sex with men (YMSM), located in North Carolina, United States, called STYLE (Strength Through Youth Livin’ Empowered). The programme was created to engage and retain this population in HIV primary care services. [Footnotes have been removed by the editor.]

Web link:

Click here to read the full text of this document online.

Contact Information:

Lisa B. Hightow-Weidman - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Source:

AIDS Patient Care STDS, 2011 January; 25(1): 37–-

Impact of the Kenya Cash Transfer for Orphans and Vulnerable Children Program on HIV Risk Behavior

jlevy — Wed, 15 May 2013 18:02:09 +0000

Author:

Sudhanshu Handa

Carolyn Halpern, PhD

Audrey Pettifor

Harsha Thirumurthy

Publication Date

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Affiliation:

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

"Study Question: Can a poverty targeted social cash transfer influence HIV risk behavior?"

Web link:

Click here to read the full text of this presentation in PDF format.

Contact Information:

Sudhanshu Handa - University of North Carolina

Source:

IAC 2012 Poster Presentations and Abstracts, accessed May 15 2013. Image credit: IRIN in Nairobi

Challenges to Youths Accessing Sexual and Reproductive Health Information and Services in Southern Africa: A Review of Qualitative Research in Seven Countries

aventh — Wed, 15 May 2013 09:19:09 +0000

Subtitle:

A paper presented at the 5th Africa Conference on Sexual Health and Rights in September 2012

Author:

Michael Jana

Itumeleng Mafa

Ken Limwame

Agnes Shabalala

Publication Date

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

The Soul City Institute for Health and Development Regional Programme, involving partner organisations in Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, conducted qualitative formative audience research to explore knowledge, attitudes, and practices on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) issues among youth. Based on this research, this paper seeks to highlight challenges faced by youth in accessing sexual and reproductive health information and services in the 7 southern African countries and recommend possible ways to address the challenges.

Web link:

Click here to download this document in PDF format.

Source:

African Sexuality website on May 14 2013.

Photo credit: Soul City Regional Programme archives.

Preventing HIV among Sex Workers in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Literature Review

aventh — Mon, 13 May 2013 19:40:46 +0000

Author:

Matthew Chersich

Publication Date

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

The main focus of this 35-page report is to review the risk factors for HIV among sex workers in sub-Saharan Africa and the interventions that have been successfully implemented in this region. The report, its findings, and recommendations are based on a review of available published evidence.

Web link:

Click here to download the full case study in PDF format.

Contact Information:

World Health Organization - HIV/AIDS Department

Source:

WHO website on May 11 2013.

Vulnerabilities, Health Needs and Predictors of High-Risk Sexual Behaviour among Female Adolescent Sex Workers in Kunming, China

kdevries — Fri, 10 May 2013 20:56:23 +0000

Author:

Xu-Dong Zhang

Marleen Temmerman

Yan Li

Wei Luo

Stanley Luchters

Publication Date

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Affiliation:

International Centre for Reproductive Health, Ghent University (Zhang, Temmerman, Luchters); School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University (Li); STI Unit, Kunming Center for Disease Control (Luo); Centre for International Health, Burnet Institute (Luchters); Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University (Luchters)

Adolescent female sex workers (FSWs) who accessed sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention services, including peer-education-based health promotion and condom access, reported improved sexual behaviour. This is one of the findings of a study that assessed social and behavioural predictors for sexual risk taking and STIs, including HIV, among adolescent FSWs from Kunming, China. In addition, researchers assessed health services needs and use.

Web link:

Click here in order to read the full report online and/or to download it in PDF format (8 pages).

Contact Information:

Xu-Dong Zhang - International Centre for Reproductive Health, Ghent University

Source:

Image credit: Facts and Details

Three Reasons to Celebrate Women Working to End Polio, This Mother's Day

kdevries — Fri, 10 May 2013 19:46:34 +0000

Author:

Ananda Bandyopadhyay

Publication Date

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Affiliation:

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

"I feel more confident than ever that the empowered and enlightened mothers of our time will continue to be the change agents in our societies with continued resilience in initiatives such as vaccination, family planning and basic education."

Speaking from his own experience in India, in this blog entry, Dr. Ananda Bandyopadhyay provides 3 examples to illustrate the ways in which women around the world have been at the forefront of the battle against polio in protecting the future of their children and their community:

Web link:

Click here to read the entire blog entry.

Contact Information:

Ananda Bandyopadhyay - Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Source:

Email from Ananda Bandyopadhyay to The Communication Initiative on May 10 2013.

Strong Women, Strong Voices

kdevries — Thu, 09 May 2013 21:00:05 +0000

To respond to the problem of violence against women in Latin America, in 2011, PCI Media Impact, together with Swedish partner Diakonia, began overseeing production of 3 radio dramas addressing crucial human rights issues for women: Cusco, Peru's "T'ikarinaykipaq Warmi" ("Women Awakens"); Choco, Colombia's "Juntadó, Historias de Río" ("Juntadó, Stories from a River"); and El Alto, Bolivia's "Raices de Violencia" ("Roots of Violence"). Collectively called Strong Women, Strong Voices, these programmes seek to shift the narrative for women in these gender-charged communities.

Communication Strategies:

Radio is a favoured medium in rural communities in Latin America, and Strong Women, Strong Voices weaves together stories using language accessible to both Spanish-speaking and indigenous women. Three separate dramas have been produced and broadcast in Peru, Colombia, and Bolivia, telling - in the local language and context - the stories of women overcoming prejudice, abuse, and sexual violence. For example, "Juntado, Stories of the River" is a story about the daily tragedies and joys of an Afro-Colombian community. The drama celebrates the way in which Sara, Yisela, and other women from Juntado confront the violence and machismo rooted in their customs, while exploring the abuse and the complicity provoked by the presence of those involved in the armed conflict. Click here to read the synopses of the 3 programmes and to listen to them online.

Strong Women, Strong Voices places the production process in the hands of the women in Peru, Colombia, and Bolivia. According to organisers, the women and community members who work on these dramas not only share information about ending violence against women but are also learning, firsthand, the power of using communication to motivate change.

To make this experience possible, Strong Women, Strong Voices held 3 radio drama workshops in El Alto, Bolivia, Cusco, Peru, and Quibdó, Colombia, with representatives of grassroots social organisations, local journalists, radio stations, and other groups who were trained in the creation of this entertainment-education (EE) series. In each country, local partners developed and produced a radio soap opera of 24 episodes, adapting to the cultural contexts of each country, reaching an estimated audience of 900,000 people. Since the last season, organisers extended the show, with 26 additional episodes in each country and a new season.

These local dramas are now the foundation of a regional knowledge-sharing network for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and grassroots organisations. The network shares their experiences and strategies in this field, using communication strategies to influence and mobilise public opinion, change policy, and promote access to health services.

Development Issues:

Women, Gender-Based Violence

Key Points:

The United Nations' Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (CEPAL) reports that up to 40% of women in Latin American have suffered as victims of physical violence. The rate is higher for emotional abuse. Violence reached 45% in Colombia, 40% in Bolivia, and 56% in Peru. A lack of commitment to addressing this violence impedes the fulfillment of existing protocols to combat gender-based violence.

In 2013, PCI-Media Impact was presented with the Global Award for Excellence in Communications at the 2nd Annual Avon Communications Awards: Speaking Out About Violence Against Women by actor and activist Salma Hayek-Pinault.

Partner Text:

PCI Media Impact and Diakonia

Contact Information:

Alex J. Cottin - PCI Media Impact

Source:

Email from Alex J. Cottin to The Communication Initiative on May 9 2013.

Wize Up Youth Radio Talk Show

aventh — Thu, 09 May 2013 19:05:37 +0000

Running from December 2011 to May 2012 and designed primarily for youth aged 15 to 24, the Wize Up Youth Radio Talk Show programmes in Namibia were designed to raise awareness and discussion on youth sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR). The radio programmes used interactive interviews with topic experts, youth discussions, and feedback through radio, telephone, and social media, as well as drama snippets. The programmes were produced as part of Desert Soul Health and Development Communication's Wize Up Campaign.

Communication Strategies:

This is the second season of the youth radio talk show, which follows the first season which ran from 2010 to 2011. Unlike the first season, this series includes a short radio drama snippet and links to social networks for more participation. The 15-minute long programme aired twice a week, and comprised the following strategies:

guest topic expert, to provide factual details on the topic of discussion;
youth were invited to the studio as studio guests, sharing life experiences and views on the topic of the day;
a key topical question was posed, and listeners were invited to comment by SMS, phone-ins, and social networks such as facebook. Comments were read during the show to get opinions of listeners and to provide them with a platform to ask questions; and
a 3-minute dramatised snippet was used as an ice breaker to the lead the panel into discussion, and to base the topic in real life situations.

The intended audience for the talk shows was segmented into three parts. The first was youth in the age group 15 to 24, both in- and out-of-school. Messages for this audience were strongly focused on teenage pregnancy and family planning. The second key audience was parents, with messages about intergenerational communication on SRHR. Third was the general public, with messages about sexual gender-based violence. All the messages were designed to involve men and include them in interventions to increase their level of responsibility in SRHR issues.

At a radio creative meeting, the topics for each of the 26 episodes of the radio magazine show were decided on by a team of experts in the field of communication for behavioural change. These included sexual health, sexual debut, sexuality, access to services, gender violence, and safe sex, among many other topics.

The campaign was based on research that showed the need for such programmes for young people, particularly in the areas of reproductive health. Information was considered crucial, and it was realised that there was a gap where parents are often too uncomfortable to talk to their children about sexual-related issues.

As a follow on to the radio programmes, Desert Soul plans to conduct outreach to schools and institutions of higher learning, where they will combine the distribution of campaign print materials with theatre performances. The focus of the outreach is SRHR but linked to HIV prevention.

Development Issues:

Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights, HIV/AIDS

Partner Text:

Desert Soul Health and Development Communication

Contact Information:

Celia Kaunatjike - Desert Soul Health and Development Communication

Source:

Email from Celia Kaunatjike to Soul Beat Africa on May 7 2013; and All Africa.com on May 8 2013.