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An enhanced HIV prevention programme
achieved a modest reduction in the rate of new HIV infections but a big
increase in the number of men testing for the virus.
The study involved 57,000
participants, with 54,000 tested for HIV.
Conducted in sub-Saharan Africa, the
study monitored the effectiveness of an enhanced HIV prevention programme in
terms of incidence, behaviour and testing, compared to standard clinic-based
voluntary counselling and testing (VCT).
Enhanced prevention consisted of
mobile HIV testing, community mobilisation and support for people living with
HIV.
Researchers compared outcomes
between 24 communities receiving enhanced prevention and 24 communities
provided with standard VCT.
Results showed that HIV incidence
was 14% lower in the communities targeted with the enhanced intervention than
in those receiving clinic-based VCT. Rates of testing were also higher in
communities receiving enhanced prevention, especially among men.
There was evidence that the
intervention achieved changes in sexual risk behaviour, including lower numbers
of reported partners. However, the intervention had no impact on HIV-related
stigma.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus.
To learn more about The Friends of
AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
