HIV/AIDS Communication Strategy

Secretariat of Health,Honduras 2001

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BACKGROUND

According to UNAIDS, fifty percent of AIDS cases in Central America were reported in Honduras. Since 1985, more than 17,000 cases of HIV infection have been reported in the country. The epidemics has spread mainly by sexual transmission and the once large difference in the proportion of infected men vs. infected women has diminished to 2:1. AIDS is now the first cause of death among women of reproductive age.

Despite the efforts of the Government of Honduras to fight the epidemic, AIDS is still not fully recognized as a priority in the political agenda. Discrimination of people with AIDS, gender roles that discourage couple communication on sexuality and lack of public support have played a role in shadowing the dramatic reality of the AIDS epidemic in the country. Since August of 1999 a new approach, the public and private sector are working collaboratively has generated new initiatives and a series of documents such as the National Plan to Fight HIV/AIDS, National Policy on STIs and the Special Law on HIV/AIDS recognizing the importance of an intersectoral response to the epidemic and it recently established an IEC Interagency Committee on HIV/AIDS.

The Secretariat of Health (SOH), USAID, The IEC Technical Committee and its members from NGO's with the technical support of JHU/PCS-AED, has identified the need for a communication campaign with the following objectives:
 

STRATEGY OBJETIVES

1. Increase commitment among national decision makers to support multi sectoral responses and initiatives to fight HIV/AIDS epidemic in Honduras.

2. Increase knowledge on safe sexual behavior and risk behavior.

3. Increase communication about safe sexual behavior and risk behavior

4. Reduce stigma asociated with HIV/AIDS.

5. Increase use of SOH services related to STI, HIV/AIDS testing and counseling and treatment.
 

AUDIENCES

The campaign has been divided into two phases. Phase I has two specific groups identified to consider in the strategy:

Influentials and Opinion Leaders

Commitment from influentials has been a key element in the fight against AIDS, in Brazil leaders at the national level have been instrumental in obtaining wide access to anti retroviral drugs for HIV positive people.

Visible support from opinion leaders can also have positive influence in reducing the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS. Providing leaders with specific information about the impact of the epidemic on the social, economic and overall national development will give them the opportunity to make informed decisions regarding support of key legislation and initiatives regarding access to drugs to reduce the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country.

Comunication Objectives:

Adolescents and Young Adults

Divided into groups: 12 to 15; 16 to 20, 21 to 25 years old.

Adolescents and young adults are among the groups at higher risk mainly because of their low perception of risk and patterns of sexual activity (sporadic, unprotected and with multiple partners).

Research shows that 66 % of men and 52 % of women have their first sexual encounter by age 16 placing them at high risk of contracting HIV/AIDs at a young age. Research also shows that the knowledge about HIV/AIDS transmissions is very high as well as their knowledge on ways to prevent HIV/AIDS. The gap is very wide when it comes to assessing their individual sex behavior with risk behavior.

The AIDS campaign needs to disseminate information on abstinence, postponing of the first sexual intercourse, reduce the number of sexual partners, consistent use of condoms and sexual fidelity. In addition to provide adequate information, the campaign should also provide examples of modeling expected behavior to increase the public's ability of replicate them. The enter-educate format has proved to be very effective in providing role modeling, stimulate expected response and provide vicarious reinforcement.

Comunication Objectives:

  • Increase knowledge on safe sexual behavior and safe risk behavior.
  • Increase their ability to communicate on and negotiate the practice of safe behaviors, including abstinence, postponing sex and condom use.

Time Frame:

Phase I of the strategy runs from July 2001 to June 2002.*

Phase II of the strategy covers July 2002 to June 2003.

* Currently we are in the process of selecting an advertising agency. Date for final selection is September 14, 2001

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