TAC LIB: HIV/AIDS E- RESOURCES

SUPPORTING COMMUNITY BASED RESPONSES TO AIDS: A guidance tool for including Community Systems

2009-03-11T06:02:00.000-07:00

Community-based organizations play a critical role in responding to HIV. Over
the last three decades, they have been key providers of prevention services, treatment, care, and support as well as addressing the social, political, legal and financial environment needed to support scaled up effective responses. In many countries and contexts, their impact and engagement are magnifi ed by the reliance on them by some of the most hard-to-reach individuals—including members of key affected populations such as injecting drug users (IDUs), men who have sex with men (MSM) and sex workers Fulltext.

The changing roles and access to services by children in HIV/AIDS affected households in the Makete District Iringa,Tanzania

2008-09-04T01:19:00.000-07:00

This study reports the preliminary results of the research on the changing roles and
access to services by children in HIV/AIDS affected households in Makete district, Iringa,
Tanzania. Fulltext
Date: 2007
Authors:
Emmanuel Chingonikaya
Kizito Mwajombe

UNGASS COUNTRY PROGRESS REPORT TANZANIA MAINLAND

2008-06-20T05:33:00.000-07:00

Date: January 2008
Author: Tanzania Commission for AIDS

This report explains the details about the current status of HIV and AIDS , overview of the epidemic, National response and the best practices. The report covers the HIV and AIDS issues in the period of two years from January 2006 to December 2007. Fulltext

Towards universal access by 2010 : how WHO is working with countries to scale-up HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.

2008-03-04T23:41:00.000-08:00

Author: WHO
Date: 2006

This document describes the contribution that the World Health Organization (WHO) will make, as the United
Nations agency responsible for health, in working towards universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and
support in the period 2006–2010. It proposes an evidence-based Model Essential Package of integrated health
sector interventions for HIV/AIDS that WHO recommends be scaled up in countries, using a public health approach,
and provides an overview of the strategic directions and priority intervention areas that will guide WHO’s technical
work and support to its Member States as they work towards universal access over the next four years. Fulltext

MKAKATI WA KUKUZA UCHUMI NA KUPUNGUZA UMASKINI TANZANIA: RIPOTI YA MWAKA 2006

2008-02-17T21:19:00.000-08:00

Ripoti ya Mwaka 2006 inatoa muhtasari wa takwimu za hivi
karibuni kuhusu maendeleo kufikia malengo ya MKUKUTA ya
kupunguza umaskini Tanzania.Fulltext

Cost-Effectiveness of HIV Prevention in Developing Countries

2007-12-29T07:20:00.000-08:00

This article posits that HIV prevention interventions in developing countries can reduce the incidence of HIV infection and sometimes save financial resources in the process. It also provides an overview of the basic theory underlying cost-effectiveness analysis. Although the chapter focuses on prevention, treatment and research are also indispensable to addressing the epidemic; these three tracks must be viewed as inseparable components of the overall response to the AIDS pandemic. Fulltext

Network capacity analysis: rapid assessment guide

2007-12-16T01:07:00.000-08:00

The aim of this toolkit is to build the skills required by civil society networks to develop and strengthen their capacity. They can be used by networks to help identify their capacity building needs, plan technical support interventions, and monitor and evaluate the impact of capacity building. Fulltext

CBO Capacity Analysis Toolkit

2007-12-16T00:58:00.000-08:00

This capacity analysis toolkit was developed to enable community based organisations to analyse levels of capacity in different organisational and technical areas. It is based on a previous toolkit developed under the Communities Responding to the HIV/AIDS Epidemic (CORE) Initiative, where the Alliance was the consortium partner providing expertise in organisational capacity building for HIV programming.

This toolkit can be used with community organisations to identify capacity-building needs, plan any technical support needed by the organisation, and monitor and evaluate the impact of capacity-building support.

This toolkit is based on a design developed by Geoff Foster, of Family AIDS Caring Trust in Zimbabwe and was further developed and piloted for this version with contributions from ANCS (Alliance Nationale Contre le SIDA) in Senegal, International HIV/AIDS Alliance in the Caribbean, CARE Rwanda, CARE Uganda, Thai National AIDS Foundation, CORE Initiative and the Alliance secretariat. Fulltext

From access to adherence:the challenges of antiretroviral treatment:Studies from Botswana, Tanzania and Uganda 2006

2007-11-16T03:21:00.000-08:00

Author: Anita Hardon

The devastating impact of AIDS in the world – especially in sub‐Saharan Africa ‐ has
led to an unprecedented global effort to ensure access to antiretroviral (ARV)
medicines to treat the disease in every country where HIV is a threat. While the World
Health Organization (WHO) goal of ensuring access to antiretroviral treatment (ART)
for 3 million people by end of 2005 was not achieved, an estimated 1.3 million people
who would not otherwise have been treated now have access to ART. This book is a
testament to the early treatment successes and the hidden challenges of antiretroviral
therapy (ART) in resource poor settings. It is also a wake up call to the risk of
treatment failure and the development of widespread ARV resistance unless all
patients are given the continuing support they need to achieve full adherence to ARVs. Fulltext

Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey 2004/05

2007-11-16T02:47:00.001-08:00

Author: National Bureau of Statistics Tanzania

The 2004-05 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS) is the sixth in a series of
national sample surveys conducted in Tanzania to measure levels, patterns, and trends in demographic
and health indicators. The first one was the 1991-92 TDHS, which was followed by the Tanzania
Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Survey (TKAPS) in 1994, the 1996 TDHS, the 1999 Tanzania Reproductive and Child Health Survey (TRCHS), and the 2003-04 Tanzania HIV/AIDS Indicator Survey (THIS).
The principal objective of the 2004-05 TDHS was to collect data on household characteristics,
fertility levels and preferences, awareness and use of family planning methods, childhood mortality, maternal and child health, breastfeeding practices, antenatal care, childhood immunisation and diseases, nutritional status of young children and women, malaria prevention and treatment, women’s status, female circumcision, sexual activity, and knowledge and behaviour regarding HIV/AIDS and other STIs.Fulltext

Community Home-Based Care (CHBC) Training

2007-11-09T23:18:00.000-08:00

Pathfinder International, October 2006.

This pre-tested and peer-reviewed curriculum focuses on the knowledge and skills necessary for providing holistic CHBC for people living with HIV/AIDS, transferring knowledge and skills to caregivers and CHBC clients, and mobilizing communities around HIV/AIDS prevention, care, treatment, and support. The trainer’s guide uses simple language and emphasizes participatory learning methodology that do not require high literacy levels of participants. It includes comprehensive units that cover topics from HIV basics, communication skills, nursing care, nutrition, positive living, family planning, HIV prevention, ART, to community mobilization. Fulltext

HIV Prevention Community Planning Guide

2007-11-08T07:45:00.000-08:00

The HIV Prevention Community Planning Guidance provides a blue-print for HIV prevention
planning and provides flexible direction to CDC grantees receiving federal HIV prevention funds to design and implement a participatory HIV prevention community planning process. HIV prevention community planning is a collaborative process by which health departments work in partnership with the community to implement a CPG(s) to develop a comprehensive HIV prevention plan that best represents the needs of populations infected with or at risk for HIV. Fulltext

The Serostatus Approach to Fighting the HIV Epidemic: Prevention Strategies for Infected Individuals

2007-10-31T14:59:00.000-07:00

In the United States, HIV prevention programs have historically tailored
activities for specific groups primarily on the basis of behavioral risk factors and
demographic characteristics. Through the Serostatus Approach to Fighting the Epidemic
(SAFE), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now expandingprevention programs, especially for individuals with HIV, to reduce the risk of transmission as a supplement to current
programs that primarily focus on reducing the risk of acquisition of the virus. For individuals with HIV, SAFE comprises action steps that focus on diagnosing all HIV-infected persons, linking them to appropriate high-quality care and prevention services, helping them adhere
to treatment regimens, and supporting them in adopting and sustaining HIV risk reduction behavior. SAFE couples a traditional infectious disease control focus on the infected person with behavioral interventions that have been standard for HIV prevention programs. Fulltext

Gender-Sensitive HIV/AIDS Indicators for Monitoring and Evaluation

2007-10-23T21:56:00.000-07:00

Author: World Bank
Date: 2007
Publisher: World Bank

Greater efforts to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic emphasize efficient and effective programs, policy, and capacity building. This requires adequate monitoring and evaluation of progress. Choosing the appropriate indicators varies according to the goal of the project, the region, the HIV-prevalence rate, and how gender issues affect the spread of HIV/AIDS. This document outlines a number of gender-sensitive indicators that focus on outcomes and impact. Fulltext

Policy and advocacy in HIV/AIDS prevention : strategies for enhancing prevention interventions

2007-10-23T21:30:00.000-07:00

This handbook provides suggestions for getting involved in policy
development. It is written for program managers and policy advocates and others who are interested in advocacy work and in the policy aspects of HIV/AIDS prevention. The handbook provides an overview of how to contribute to making policy an effective component of HIV/AIDS prevention.As with any guide, the words on paper here must be adapted to real life and local situations. Fulltext

Financial Resources Required to Achieve Universal Access to HIV Prevention, Treatment, Care and Support

2007-10-12T01:45:00.000-07:00

Author: UNAIDS
Date: September 2007

Description: Since 2001, UNAIDS and its partners have tracked the flow of resources to HIV programmes, and projected what funding will be needed in the future for a comprehensive response. This report summarizes the latest resource needs analysis, which takes into account important services that have recently been added to the HIV response, and incorporates an improved understanding of economies of scale associated with expansion of national programmes. Fulltext

Policy brief: reduction of HIV transmission through outreach

2007-10-12T01:43:00.000-07:00

Author:UNAIDS
Date: 2004
In many countries, access to drug-dependence treatment and HIV/AIDS prevention and care services is limited for injecting drug users. Moreover, users of illicit drugs are commonly marginalized by communities and usually attempt to remain hidden from the authorities, especially law enforcement agencies. They also frequently avoid using institutional treatment and other services, either because they fear being registered as illicit drug users and prosecuted, or because they feel that the drug-dependence treatment on offer would not respond to their needs. Consequently, the drug users who could benefit most from HIV/AIDS prevention services and drug-dependence treatment are often the least likely to use these services. For this reason, HIV/AIDS prevention programmes have undergone significant change during the past two decades: instead of waiting for injecting drug users to enter health and social institutions they offer services to users where they are and where they use drugs. In order to accomplish such programmes a strong outreach component is necessary, involving various approaches. Fulltext

WHO and UNAIDS announce recommendations from expert consultation on male circumcision for HIV prevention

2007-10-12T01:40:00.000-07:00

Date: March 2007

Description: In response to the urgent need to reduce the number of new
HIV infections globally the World Health Organization (W HO) and the UNAIDS Secretariat convened an international expert consultation to determine whether male circumcision should be
Recommended for t he prevention of HIV infection.
Based on the evidence presented which was considered to be compelling experts attending the consultation recommended that male circumcision now be recognized as an additional important intervention to reduce the risk of heterosexually acquired HIV infection in men. Fulltext

Minimum standards for civil society participation in the universal access initiative.

2007-10-12T01:39:00.000-07:00

Date: August 2007.

Description: The universal access initiative refers to the commitment by United Nations member states to scale up HIV prevention, treatment, care and support to reach all who need it by 2010. Universal access processes will be integrated into national responses to HIV and AIDS and monitored at the national, regional and international level. The involvement of civil society in all processes related to universal access is essential to its implementation and outcomes.

This document, developed with input from civil society participants and organizations from the Asia-Pacifi c region, proposes a process and framework to encourage minimum standards for civil society participation in universal access processes, in other words, that a minimum set of requirements, actions, conditions or adherence to principles for civil society participation in universal access will be met and agreed to by governments and civil society. Fulltext

Voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) services.

2007-10-12T01:36:00.000-07:00

Author: National Aids Control Program (Tanzania)

Description: This is a document with mainland regions statistical data about VCT services for the year 2005/06 and future plan for 2006/07. Fulltext

Impact of HIV/AIDS On Human Resources for Health in Tanzania. July 2006.

2007-10-12T01:35:00.000-07:00

Authors: E. P. Y. Muhondwa & B. N. Fimbo

Description: This study sought to document the impact of HIV/AIDS on the human resources in the health sector in Tanzania. Its specific objectives were to assess the impact of HIV/AIDS on the human resources in the health sector in Tanzania, to provide up to date and specific data on the needs and the supply of human resources in the health sector, and to inform the formulation of strategies for strengthening human resources in the health sector. Fulltext

PMTCT Progress Report (2000 - 2005)

2007-10-12T01:33:00.000-07:00

Author: National AIDS Control Programme - Tanzania.

Description: Mother to Child transmission is by far the commonest means of HIV infection in children below 15 years of age. The chances of survival of the child who acquire HIV infection through vertical transmission are poor, adding significantly to the high overall infant mortality rate. Without any intervention 25- 40 % of the infected pregnant women will transmit HIV virus to their babies during pregnancy, labour and delivery and through breast feeding.
It is estimated that with a prevalence rate of HIV infection of 9.6% (NACP, 2003) among pregnant women more than 72,000 babies will acquire infection through MTCT in Tanzania per annum. Strategies like counselling and testing during pregnancy, provision of ARV weather mono or triple therapy, modified obstetric care and safer infant feeding practices have shown to significantly reduce MTCT of HIV. Tanzania is among many African countries that has prioritised PMTCT as a major area of HIV and AIDS intervention. This is reflected in the National Multisectoral Strategic framework on HIV and AIDS (2003-2007) as well as in Health Sector Strategy for HIV and AIDS (2003-2006).
Following a successful PMTCT piloting phase in 2002, the MoHSW committed to scale up PMTCT services to the whole country. The aim is to expand and integrate PMTCT services in routine Reproductive and Child health services in all regional hospitals and selected district hospitals and other hospitals in the country by 2006. The process was planned to be accomplished in a stepwise fashion where the first phase of expansion was conducted in 2003/2004 and it involved eleven regions namely Mtwara, Tabora, Iringa, Kilimanjaro, Dar es salaam Mwanza, Kagera, Coast, Mbeya, Morogoro and
Arusha. The second phase (2004/2005) included Tanga, Singida, Rukwa, Dodoma Kigoma Shinyanga, Mara, Lindi and Ruvuma. By March a total of 544 sites are providing PMTCT services in Tanzania mainland. These include 4 referral hospitals, all 17 regional hospitals, 62 district hospitals, 47 other hospitals, 187 health centers and 227 dispensaries. The MoHSW is also working hand in hand with district councils to incorporate PMTCT programme in their Comprehensive Council Health Plans (CCHPs) to ensure sustainability.

This report covers the implementation of PMTCT programme in Tanzania from it
commencement to date and it is intended to indicate the progress of the programme,
challenges and future plans. Fulltext

Strengthening district health sector responses to HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa. An evaluation of the WHO/OPEC Fund Multi-country Initiative on HIV/A

2007-10-12T01:30:00.000-07:00

Author: WHO

Date: July, 2006

Description: The WHO/OPEC Fund Initiative on HIV/AIDS was launched in 2003 in twelve African countries (Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Togo, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia) in
order to:
• strengthen the response of the health sector, both in the prevention of HIV transmission and through enhance support and care for the persons living with HIV/AIDS, and
• increase the availability and access to services for populations living in rural districts.
Based on their national priorities, the participating countries implemented a set of interventions in seven technical areas, including voluntary counseling and testing (VCT), prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT), STI management,
care and support, blood safety, monitoring and surveillance, and HIV prevention.
WHO reviewed workplans and provided technical support to finalize workplans. WHO also provided technical support to countries during implementation and conducted monitoring visits to ensure quality and assist in problem solving. As the Initiative nears its conclusion, the countries have undertaken an evaluation to review the accomplishments, obstacles, and Lessons Learned during implementation of the Initiative. Since several of these projects are still under way, information on their effectiveness is not yet available. The scope of this evaluation examines how the Initiative has contributed to:
• filling gaps at the normative level;
• building national and local level capacity; and
• scaling up key interventions. Fulltext

HIV prevention in the african region: a strategy for renewal

2007-10-12T01:28:00.001-07:00

HIV prevention in the african region: a strategy for renewal
and acceleration : Report of the Regional Director

Author: WHO

Date: September, 2006

Description:

Nearly two thirds of the world's HIV-positive population live in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2005 alone, out of the 4.9 million new infections, 3.2 million occurred in the African Region, the majority of those affected being aged between 15 and 49.

Countries in the African Region have made encouraging progress in implementing various elements of prevention and treatment interventions to control the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The main challenges include limited effective coverage of services in order to have the required impact, weak linkage between prevention and treatment interventions, weak health systems, lack of favorable policy environment for HIV prevention and inadequate resources at all levels.

Recognizing the alarming trend in HIV incidence in the Region and the need to increase measures to control further progress of the epidemic, the WHO Regional Committee for Africa, at its fifty-fifth session in August 2005, adopted Resolution AFR/RC55/R6, “Acceleration of HIV prevention efforts in the African Region”. By that resolution, the Regional Committee declared 2006 the “Year for Acceleration of HIV Prevention in the African Region” and urged Member States to re-emphasize and re-invigorate HIV prevention efforts.

The main objective of this strategy is to contribute to the acceleration of HIV prevention and to the reduction of the impact of HIV/AIDS in the context of universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support. The strategic approaches proposed focus on scaling up access to prevention interventions and integrating prevention with treatment, care and support.

The Regional Committee is requested to review and adopt this proposed strategy along with the attached resolution. Fulltext

New Data on Male Circumcision and HIV Prevention:Policy and Programme Implications

2007-10-12T01:25:00.000-07:00

Author: WHO/UNAIDS

Date: March 2007

Description:
At the end of 2006, an estimated 39.5 million people were living with HIV and 4.3 million became newly infected with the virus that year. Prevention must be greatly prioritized in the response to AIDS and efforts are being made to find new prevention technologies to bolster the package of already known effective prevention methods. Male circumcision is one of these new potential methods, along with vaginal microbicides, pre-exposure prophylaxis with antiretroviral medication, herpes suppressive therapy, cervical barrier methods and HIV vaccines.
WHO and UNAIDS convened an international consultation to review the results of the three randomised controlled trials and other evidence on male circumcision and HIV prevention, to discuss the policy and programme implications, and to make recommendations regarding public health issues. This document summarizes the principal conclusions and recommendations of the meeting. Fulltext

HIV/AIDS Prevention,Care, Treatment and Support in Prison Settings: A Framework for an Effective National Response

2007-10-12T01:19:00.000-07:00

Author: World Health Organization and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS

Date : 2006

Description: The purpose of this document is to provide a Framework for mounting an effective national response to HIV/AIDS in prisons that meets international health and human rights standards, prioritizes public health, is grounded in best practice, and supports the management of custodial institutions.
The Framework sets out a series of 11 principles and 100 actions for the treatment of prisoners and the management of prisons with the objectives of
· Providing prisoners with prevention, care, treatment, and support for HIV/AIDS that is equivalent to that available to people in the community outside of prison.
· Preventing the spread of HIV (and other infections) among prisoners, prison staff, and the broader community;
· Promoting an integrated approach to healthcare within prisons to tackle wider public health issues, both through improvements in health care in general and through improvements in general prison conditions and management.

It also suggests concrete strategies for implementing the Framework at the national level. Fulltext

The effects of HIV/AIDS intervention groups for high-risk women in urban clinics.

2007-10-12T01:11:00.000-07:00

Authors: J A Kelly, D A Murphy, C D Washington, T S Wilson, J J Koob, D R Davis, G Ledezma, and B Davantes
Am J Public Health. 1994 December; 84(12): 1918–1922.
PMCID: 1615378

Description: This study reports the results of behavior change intervention offered to women at high risk for HIV infection seen in an urban primary health care clinic. Fulltext

The Potential Impact of Male Circumcision on HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa

2007-10-12T01:09:00.000-07:00

Authors: Brian G Williams, James O Lloyd-Smith, Eleanor Gouws, Catherine Hankins, Wayne M Getz, John Hargrove, Isabelle de Zoysa, Christopher Dye, and Bertran Auvert
PLoS Med. 2006 July; 3(7): e262. Published online 2006 July 11. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.0030262.
PMCID: 1489185

Description: A randomized controlled trial (RCT) has shown that male circumcision (MC) reduces sexual transmission of HIV from women to men by 60% (32%_76%; 95% CI) offering an intervention of proven efficacy for reducing the sexual spread of HIV. The authors explore the implications of this finding for the promotion of MC as a public health intervention to control HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. Fulltext

Classification of transmission risk in the national HIV/AIDS surveillance system.

2007-10-12T01:07:00.000-07:00

Authors: Lisa M Lee, Matthew T McKenna, and Robert S Janssen
Public Health Rep. 2003 Sep–Oct; 118(5): 400–407.
PMCID: 1497576
Description: Risk behavior information is essential for allocating resources and developing effective HIV prevention strategies. Over time, transmission risk information on HIV/AIDS cases has been less likely to be reported to the national surveillance system. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) invited approximately 30 experts in HIV/AIDS and behavioral research from state and local health departments, academia, community-based organizations, and the CDC to participate in a consultation in December 2001 to generate ideas on how best to deal with the lack of risk data. The group was charged with providing recommendations on methods for classifying and reporting risk information and for identifying methods and sources for improving ascertainment of transmission risk behaviors for individuals infected with HIV. This report describes the recommendations and the effects of implementing such recommended procedures on the national HIV/AIDS surveillance database. Fulltext

Combating HIV/AIDS in developing countries: Requires empowering people to act on their own terms

2007-10-12T01:05:00.000-07:00

Authors: Jennifer Prah Ruger
BMJ. 2004 July 17; 329(7458): 121–122. doi: 10.1136/bmj.329.7458.121.
PMCID: 478206

Description: Focusing on prevention of HIV and on expanding access to antiretroviral treatment for people living with AIDS is critically important to the fight against HIV/AIDS, but alone this strategy is not enough to tackle the problem. Combating HIV/AIDS in low and middle income countries requires more than prevention and treatment—important as this two pronged strategy is. It requires improving the conditions under which people are free to choose safer life strategies and conditions for themselves and future generations. An alternative view of the HIV/AIDS problem recognizes the inter-relatedness of health and other valuable social ends (for example, education, employment, or civil rights) and also emphasises the importance of individual agency or freedom—that is, people’s ability to act and bring about change in terms of their own values and objectives and thus to live a life they value— for the prevention and treatment of disease.2–6 Freedom is essential for both individual and collective action and is critical for changing policy, norms, and social commitments.2 These key elements are part of an alternative way of thinking about HIV/AIDS policy. Fulltext

Conflict and HIV: A framework for risk assessment to prevent HIV in conflict-affected settings in Africa

2007-10-12T01:03:00.000-07:00

Author: Nancy B Mock, Sambe Duale, Lisanne F Brown, Ellen Mathys, Heather C O'Maonaigh, Nina KL Abul-Husn, and Sterling Elliott
Emerg Themes Epidemiol. 2004; 1: 6. Published online 2004 October 29. doi: 10.1186/1742-7622-1-6.
PMCID: 544944

Description: In sub-Saharan Africa, HIV/AIDS and violent conflict interact to shape population health and development in dramatic ways. HIV/AIDS can create conditions conducive to conflict. Conflict can affect the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS. Conflict is generally understood to accelerate HIV transmission, but this view is simplistic and disregards complex interrelationships between factors that can inhibit and accelerate the spread of HIV in conflict and post conflict settings, respectively.
This paper provides a framework for understanding these factors and discusses their implications for policy formulation and program planning in conflict-affected settings. Fulltext

A reflection on HIV/AIDS research after 25 years

2007-10-12T01:02:00.000-07:00

Authors: Robert C Gallo
Retrovirology. 2006; 3: 72. Published online 2006 October 20. doi: 10.1186/1742-4690-3-72.
PMCID: 1629027

Description: This paper discusses the five periods of HIV/AIDS history and gives the reflection in each case. Fulltext

Using Folk Media in HIV/AIDS Prevention in Rural Ghana

2007-10-12T01:00:00.000-07:00

Authors: Solomon Panford, Maud Ofori Nyaney, Samuel Opoku Amoah, and Nana Garbrah Aidoo
Am J Public Health. 2001 October; 91(10): 1559–1562.
PMCID: 1446824

Description: The pandemic of HIV/AIDS continues to pose a serious threat to the population of sub-Saharan Africa, despite ongoing public health efforts to control the spread of infection. Given the important role of oral tradition in indigenous settings throughout rural Africa, we are beginning an innovative approach to HIV/AIDS prevention based on the use of folk media. This commentary explains the types of folk media used in the traditional Ghanaian setting and explores their consistency with wellknown theories. Folk media will be integrated with broadcast radio for interventions under the HIV/AIDS Behavior Change Communication Project being undertaken as part of the CARE–CDC Health Initiative(CCHI) in 2 districts in Ghana. Fulltext

HIV/AIDS: global trends, global funds and delivery bottlenecks

2007-10-12T00:58:00.000-07:00

Author:Hoosen M Coovadia and Jacqui Hadingham
Global Health. 2005; 1: 13. Published online 2005 August 1. doi: 10.1186/1744-8603-1-13.
PMCID: 1199613
Description: Globalisation affects all facets of human life, including health and well being. The HIV/AIDS epidemic has highlighted the global nature of human health and welfare and globalisation has given rise to a trend toward finding common solutions to global health challenges. Numerous international funds have been set up in recent times to address global health challenges such as HIV.
However, despite increasingly large amounts of funding for health initiatives being made available to poorer regions of the world, HIV infection rates and prevalence continue to increase world wide. As a result, the AIDS epidemic is expanding and intensifying globally. Worst affected are undoubtedly the poorer regions of the world as combinations of poverty, disease, famine, political and economic instability and weak health infrastructure exacerbate the severe and far-reaching impacts of the epidemic.
One of the major reasons for the apparent ineffectiveness of global interventions is historical weaknesses in the health systems of underdeveloped countries, which contribute to bottlenecks in the distribution and utilisation of funds.

Strengthening these health systems, although a vital component in addressing the global epidemic, must however be accompanied by mitigation of other determinants as well. These are intrinsically complex and include social and environmental factors, sexual behaviour, issues of human rights and biological factors, all of which contribute to HIV transmission, progression and mortality. An equally important factor is ensuring an equitable balance between prevention and treatment. Fulltext

Media and education play a tremendous role in mounting AIDS awareness among married couples in Bangladesh

2007-10-12T00:56:00.001-07:00

Authors: Mohammad Shafiqur Rahman and Mohammad Lutfor Rahman
AIDS Res Ther. 2007; 4: 10. Published online 2007 May 12. doi: 10.1186/1742-6405-4-10.
PMCID: 1877805

Description: To quarantine the spreading possibility of HIV virus to general population boosting public awareness is must. But the proper awareness level is substantially low in Bangladesh. This paper aims to identify the factors associated with the awareness regarding HIV/AIDS through a bivariate and multivariate analysis using the data extracted from Bangladesh Demography and Health Survey (BDHS) 1999–2000. Fulltext

Uptake of Workplace HIV Counselling and Testing: A Cluster-Randomised Trial in Zimbabwe

2007-10-12T00:54:00.000-07:00

Authors: Elizabeth L Corbett, Ethel Dauya, Ronnie Matambo, Yin Bun Cheung, Beauty Makamure, Mary T Bassett, Steven Chandiwana, Shungu Munyati, Peter R Mason, Anthony E Butterworth, Peter Godfrey-Faussett, and Richard J Hayes
PLoS Med. 2006 July; 3(7): e238. Published online 2006 July 4. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.0030238.
PMCID: 1483908

Description: HIV counselling and testing is a key component of both HIV care and HIV prevention, but uptake is currently low. The authors report their findings on the impact of rapid HIV testing at the workplace on uptake of voluntary counselling and testing (VCT). Fulltext

“I Have an Evil Child at My House”: Stigma and HIV/AIDS Management in a South African Community

2007-10-12T00:52:00.000-07:00

Authors: Catherine Campbell, Carol Ann Foulis, Sbongile Maimane, and Zweni Sibiya
Am J Public Health. 2005 May; 95(5): 808–815. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2003.037499.
PMCID: 1449259

Description: In this paper, the authors examine the social roots of stigma by means of a case study of HIV/AIDS management among young people in a South African community (drawing from interviews, focus groups, and fieldworker diaries). We highlight the web of representations that sustain stigma, the economic and political contexts within which these representations are constructed, and the way in which they flourish in the institutional contexts of HIV/AIDS interventions.
Stigma serves as an effective form of “social psychological policing” by punishing
those who have breached unequal power relations of gender, generation,
and ethnicity. We outline an agenda for participatory programs that promote critical
thinking about stigma’s social roots to stand alongside education and, where
possible, legislation as an integral part of antistigma efforts. Fulltext

Achieving the millennium development goals for health: Cost effectiveness analysis of strategies to combat HIV/AIDS in developing countries

2007-10-12T00:50:00.000-07:00

Authors:Daniel R Hogan, Rob Baltussen, Chika Hayashi, Jeremy A Lauer, and Joshua A Salomon
BMJ. 2005 December 17; 331(7530): 1431–1437. doi: 10.1136/bmj.38643.368692.68.
PMCID: 1315644

Description: This paper aims at assessing the costs and health effects of a range of interventions for preventing the spread of HIV and for treating people with HIV/AIDS in the context of the millennium development goal for combating HIV/AIDS. Fulltext

Information preferences and practices among people living with HIV/AIDS:results from a nationwide survey.

2007-10-12T00:48:00.000-07:00

Authors:Hogan TP, Palmer CL.
J Med Libr Assoc. 2005 Oct; 93(4): 431-439.
PMCID: 1250318

Description: Managing information is an important part of coping with illness and includes communicative and cognitive activities like seeking, avoiding, providing, appraising, and interpreting information [1]. It is complex in that people’s information behaviors and needs vary over the course of their illnesses and along with the availability and quality of information. In recent years, considerable research has been done on how people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) manage information. However, understanding of the role of information in the HIV/AIDS community is still limited because of the difficulties of reaching different groups of PLWHA.
This study has been designed to reach many segments of the diverse HIV/AIDS community and broaden understanding of how information can better assist PLWHA. The authors begin by outlining HIV/
AIDS epidemiological trends in the United States and characterizing HIV/AIDS information (hereafter referred to as HIV information) and the information needs and behaviors of PLWHA as reported in the scholarly literature. Fulltext

HIV/AIDS information outreach: a community-based approach

2007-10-12T00:46:00.000-07:00

Author: Dancy NC, Dutcher GA.
J Med Libr Assoc. 2007 Jul; 95(3): 323-329.
PMCID: 1924952

Description: The paper provides an overview of the National Library of Medicine’s (NLM’s) of US, AIDS Community Information Outreach Program during the years 1994 to 2005, discusses the impact of previously funded projects, and explores future implications for HIV/AIDS information outreach to communities in need. Fulltext

Cultural Approach to HIV/AIDS Harm Reduction in Muslim Countries.

2007-10-12T00:38:00.000-07:00

Author:Hasnain M.
Harm Reduct J. 2005; 2: 23. published online before print October 27, 2005
PMCID: 1298319

Description: Muslim countries, previously considered protected from HIV/AIDS due to religious and culturalnorms, are facing a rapidly rising threat. Despite the evidence of an advancing epidemic, the usual response from the policy makers in Muslim countries, for protection against HIV infection, is a major focus on propagating abstention from illicit drug and sexual practices. Sexuality, considered a private matter, is a taboo topic for discussion. Harm reduction, a pragmatic approach for HIV prevention, is underutilized. The social stigma attached to HIV/AIDS, that exists in all societies is much more pronounced in Muslim cultures. This stigma prevents those at risk from coming forward for appropriate counseling, testing, and treatment, as it involves disclosure of risky practices. The purpose of this paper is to define the extent of the HIV/AIDS problem in Muslim countries, outline the major challenges to HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, and discuss the concept of harm reduction, with a cultural approach, as a strategy to prevent further spread of the disease. Recommendations include integrating HIV prevention and treatment strategies within existing social, cultural and religious frameworks, working with religious leaders as key collaborators, and provision of appropriate healthcare resources and infrastructure for successful HIV prevention and treatment programs in Muslim countries. Fulltext

Towards an understanding of barriers to condom use in rural Benin using the Health Belief Model: A cross sectional survey

2007-10-12T00:18:00.000-07:00

Author: Hounton SH, Carabin H, Henderson NJ.
BMC Public Health. 2005; 5: 8. published online before print January 21, 2005
PMCID: 547902

Description: HIV/AIDS is the most dramatic epidemic of the century that has claimed over two decade more than 3 million deaths. Sub Saharan Africa is heavily affected and accounts for nearly 70% of all cases. Despite awareness campaigns, prevention measures and more recently promotion of anti viral regimens, the prevalence of cases and deaths is still rising and the prevalence of systematic condom use remains low, especially in rural areas. This study identifies barriers to condom use based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) in Benin, West Africa. Fulltext

Knowledge about safe motherhood and HIV/AIDS among school pupils in a rural area in Tanzania.

2007-10-12T00:15:00.000-07:00

Author: Mushi DL, Mpembeni RM, Jahn A.
BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2007; 7: 5. published online before print April 24,
2007
PMCID: 1868762

Description: The majority of adolescents in Africa experience pregnancy, childbirth and enter motherhood without adequate information about maternal health issues. Information about these issues could help them reduce their pregnancy related health risks. Existing studies have concentrated on adolescents' knowledge of other areas of reproductive health, but little is known about their awareness and knowledge of safe motherhood issues. In this paper, the authors sought to bridge this gap by assessing the knowledge of school pupils regarding safe motherhood in Mtwara Region, Tanzania. Fulltext

HIV/AIDS mitigation strategies and the State in sub-Saharan Africa – the

2007-10-12T00:13:00.000-07:00

Author: Mohiddin A, Johnston D.
Global Health. 2006; 2: 1. published online before print January 17, 2006
PMCID: 1382207

Description: The HIV/AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa is widely recognized as a development disaster threatening poverty reduction, economic growth and not merely a health issue. Its mitigation includes the societal-wide adoption and implementation of specific health technologies, many of which depend on functional institutions and State.
Donor and International Institutions' strategies to mitigate HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa are premised on a single optimal model of the State, one which focuses on the decentralized delivery of public goods alone (such as healthcare) – the service delivery state. The empirical evidence, though sparse, of "successful" and "unsuccessful" sub-Saharan Africa states' performance in mitigating HIV/AIDS does not support this model. Rather, the evidence suggests an alternative model that takes a country context specific approach – encompassing political power, institutional structures and the level of health technology needed. For international public health policies to be effective, they must consider a country tailored approach, one that advocates a coordinated strategy designed and led by the State with involvement of wider society specific to each country's particular history, culture, and level of development. This model draws on the historical experience of East Asian countries' rapid development. Fulltext

Experience of initiating collaboration of traditional healers in managing

2007-10-12T00:08:00.000-07:00

Authors: Kayombo EJ, Uiso FC, Mbwambo ZH, Mahunnah RL, Moshi MJ, Mgonda YH.
J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2007; 3: 6. published online before print January 26,
2007
PMCID: 1797004
Description: Collaboration between traditional healers and biomedical practitioners is now being accepted by
many African countries south of the Sahara because of the increasing problem of HIV/AIDS. The key problem, however, is how to initiate collaboration between two health systems which differ in theory of disease causation and management. This paper presents findings on experience learned by initiation of collaboration between traditional healers and the Institute of Traditional Medicine in Arusha and Dar-es-Salaam Municipalities, Tanzania .Fulltext

Assessing effects of a media campaign on HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention in Nigeria: results from the VISION Project.

2007-10-12T00:04:00.000-07:00

Authors: Keating J, Meekers D, Adewuyi A.
BMC Public Health. 2006; 6: 123. published online before print May 3, 2006
PMCID: 1508144

Description: In response to the growing HIV epidemic in Nigeria, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) initiated the VISION Project, which aimed to increase use of family planning, child survival, and HIV/AIDS services. The VISION Project used a mass-media campaign that focused on reproductive health and HIV/AIDS prevention. This paper assesses to what extent program exposure translates into increased awareness and prevention of HIV/AIDS. Fulltext

Experience of initiating collaboration of traditional healers in managing

2007-10-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

Projections of Global Mortality and Burden of Disease from 2002 to 2030.

2007-10-11T23:49:00.000-07:00

Author (s): Mathers CD, Loncar D.

PLoS Med. 2006 Nov; 3(11): e442. published online before print November 28,
2006
PMCID: 1664601

Date: 2006

Description: Global and regional projections of mortality and burden of disease by cause for the years 2000, 2010, and 2030 were published by Murray and Lopez in 1996 as part of the Global Burden of Disease project. These projections, which are based on 1990 data, continue to be widely quoted, although they are substantially outdated; in particular, they substantially underestimated the spread of HIV/AIDS. To address the widespread demand for information on likely future trends in global health, and thereby to support international health policy and priority setting, the authors have prepared new projections of mortality and burden of disease to 2030 starting from World Health Organization estimates of mortality and burden of disease for 2002. This paper describes the methods, assumptions, input data, and results.
Fulltext

A Comparative Study of HIV/AIDS: The Knowledge, Attitudes, and Risk

2007-10-11T23:46:00.000-07:00

Author (s): Ogunsemi OO, Lawal RA, Okulate GT, Alebiosu CO, Olatawura MO.
MedGenMed. 2006; 8(4): 42. published online before print November 29, 2006
PMCID: 1868371

Date: 2006

This is a research paper set out to compare knowledge, attitudes, and risk behaviors related to HIV/AIDS among schizophrenic patients and diabetic patients.

Fulltext

Use of traditional medicines in the management of HIV/AIDS opportunistic infections in Tanzania: a case in the Bukoba rural district.

2007-10-11T23:32:00.000-07:00

Author: Kisangau DP, Lyaruu HV, Hosea KM, Joseph CC.
J Ethnobiol Ethnomed.

Date: 2007

The authors of this paper describe the findings as a result of ethnobotanical surveys carried out to document herbal remedies used in the management of HIV/AIDS opportunistic infections in Bukoba Rural district, Tanzania. The district is currently an epicenter of HIV/AIDS and although over 90% of the population in the district relies on traditional medicines to manage the disease, this knowledge is impressionistic and not well documented. The HIV/AIDS opportunistic conditions considered during the study were Tuberculosis (TB), Herpes zoster (Shingles), Herpes simplex (Genital herpes), Oral candidiasis and Cryptococcal meningitis. Other symptomatic but undefined conditions considered were skin rashes and chronic diarrhea.