Academy for Educational Development

AIDS Interventions Target Those Most At Risk

Nearly one million people in the United States are living with HIV, and the numbers are growing each day. To help stem the spread of the disease, AED has been diffusing scientifically proven interventions across the country.

The interventions target a range of individuals from those who are HIV-negative but at high risk for contracting the virus, to those who are HIV-positive.

A woman plays a bongo drum during a SISTA meeting. The intervention is designed to teach African-American women about HIV/AIDS prevention.

A key factor to the success of the interventions is that, unlike some other HIV-prevention strategies that address cross-sections of society with the same message or approach, each of the dozen intervention strategies AED diffuses has been tailored to address specific behaviors and groups of people who are most at-risk for contracting the virus.

Without targeting specific behaviors and actions, “you cannot use resources to most effectively reach those truly at risk,” said Frank Beadle de Palomo, director of the AED Center on AIDS and Community Health.

One strategy initially designed for men who have sex with other men is being adapted for other groups. Called “Popular Opinion Leader,” the intervention identifies individuals in communities who are already popular, credible, and influential.

They are then trained to deliver risk reduction messages within their social networks. These leaders are armed with posters, buttons and literature and talk about HIV prevention to build support for healthy behaviors among the rest of the community.

Another intervention, Sisters Informing Sisters About Topics on AIDS, or SISTA, is aimed at empowering African-American women to reduce sexual behavior that puts them at-risk for contracting HIV.

Based on the theory of gender and pride, through group discussions, lectures, and role playing, women learn about how the virus is transmitted and how to prevent it from spreading.

Other interventions are designed specifically for teenagers living with HIV and injection drug users, and each aims to disseminate information about HIV prevention. These strategies have been so successful in the United States that AED has recently been awarded two multi-year, multi-million dollar contracts to do similar work in Ghana and Honduras.

“The interventions all have core elements that make them effective,” Beadle de Palomo said. However, he added, some interventions may be more effective than others in specific community settings, depending on the culture in each country. Just as the interventions used in the U.S. target specific populations, the strategies used overseas will focus on certain groups and behaviors, and will have to adhere to the cultural norms of those countries.

For example, an intervention like SISTA may need to be adapted to address a country’s specific gender norms and racial/ethnic issues. Still, the lessons learned from the HIV-prevention work AED has been doing in the U.S. will inform the international work.

And eventually, Beadle de Palomo said, the international work will help AED create and tailor strategies that can be used in the U.S.

For more information on these interventions, contact Frank Beadle de Palomo, or visit www.effectiveinterventions.org .
For more information on AED’s work in HIV and AIDS, visit www.aed.org/hivaids.