AIDS Care - Psychological and Socio-Medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV
Volume 28, Issue 2, 2016, Pages 214-220

Behavior change communication and mobile populations: The evaluation of a cross-border HIV/AIDS communication strategy amongst migrants from Swaziland (Article)

Silvestre E.* , Weiner R. , Hutchinson P.
  • a Global Community Health and Behavioral Sciences, Tulane University, 1440 Canal St Suite 2350, New Orleans, LA 70119, United States
  • b Soul City Institute for Health and Development Communication, School of Public Health, Wits University, PO Box 1290, Houghton, 2041, South Africa
  • c Global Health Systems and Development, Tulane University, 1440 Canal St Suite 2200, New Orleans, LA 70119, United States

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of being exposed to the Soul City Southern Africa Regional OneLove campaign, a behavior change communication program, on sexual behavior and condom use among a mobile population in Swaziland. Data for this study come from a nationally representative sample of 845 individuals who reported traveling to neighboring countries for at least two weeks at any time in the previous two years. Respondents were asked about exposure to the campaign through television, radio, booklets, posters, and advertisements both in Swaziland and in the other countries where they had traveled in the previous two years. Odds ratios were used to estimate the relationships between the HIV/AIDS outcomes of interest and program exposure for the full sample as well as separately for males and females. The program had no effect on reducing known risky behaviors such as having multiple sexual partners. However, men exposed in Swaziland only (AOR = 3.4, CI 1.2-9.4) and in Swaziland and another country (AOR = 2.8, CI 1.0-7.7) were more likely to report using a condom at last sex. In the full sample, those exposed in Swaziland were more likely to report using a condom at last sex (AOR = 2.6, CI 1.3-5.3) and a condom at last sex with a regular partner (AOR = 2.3, CI 1.1-4.8). Men who reported multiple sexual partnerships and who were exposed in Swaziland and another country were nine times as likely to report condom at last sex than men with no exposure. Respondents exposed in Swaziland and another country were more likely to have been tested for HIV; this was true for the total population (AOR = 2.9, CI 1.1-7.9) and for men separately (AOR = 3.3, CI 1.1-10.1). These findings provide support for more regional HIV prevention programs in Southern Africa as a way to increase positive behaviors among mobile populations. © 2015 Taylor & Francis.

Author Keywords

Migration Condom use HIV testing HIV prevention Southern Africa behavior change communication

Index Keywords

concurrent sexual partnership HIV Infections sexual behavior Human immunodeficiency virus infection Communication interpersonal communication human HIV test sexuality Sexual Partners travel condom Condoms priority journal Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ethnology South Africa condom use Humans migrant male female Mozambique Africa evaluation study Incidence Article high risk behavior disease transmission adult health education migration Africa, Southern Transients and Migrants Swaziland risk reduction acquired immune deficiency syndrome public health behavior change

Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84955718288&doi=10.1080%2f09540121.2015.1081668&partnerID=40&md5=79d2de045b8d3927cf4b80935765ed21

DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2015.1081668
ISSN: 09540121
Cited by: 2
Original Language: English