Promotion of safer behaviour
Research studies show that intervention programmes that focus on behavioural change are the most cost-effective prevention methods available and reduce the frequency of sexual risk behaviour.
These prevention programmes generally provide:
- Basic HIV/AIDS information
- Insight into personal risks
- Social skills such as condom negotiation.
It is crucial that awareness and educational programmes target not only high-risk groups but also the general public.
Promotion of condom use
Correct use of the male condom reduces the risk of HIV by 80-90%. Promotion of condom use as a prevention method needs to be continued, not only for vulnerable groups but for everyone who is sexually active. Promotion of condom use includes: addressing negative attitudes towards condoms, normalising condom use and making them available. The female condom is (still) not as popular as the male condom, although there have been several initiatives to increase its appeal. To halt the HIV epidemic by 2015, the level of funding for condoms needs to increase threefold.
Promotion of HIV testing: Know-your-status
Many people do not want to know their status, for fear of a positive result, stigma and discrimination, and losing employment, as well as the lack of access to treatment. In 2002, UNAIDS and WHO recognised the importance of knowing your status. They emphasise the need to enhance testing and counselling programmes, and to improve programmes for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission and the provision of general health care services, especially in areas where HIV prevalence is high.
Prevention of sexual transmitted diseases
Untreated STDs increase the risk of HIV. All the more reason for early diagnosis and treatment of these infections. Synergy between HIV prevention programmes and specific programmes to diagnose and treat STDs increases the effectiveness of both and contributes to the reduction of HIV infections.
Preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV
These specific prevention programmes involve a combination of approaches such as: primary HIV prevention for women, prevention of unwanted pregnancies, access to antenatal care, promotion of voluntary testing, and antiretroviral therapy for mother and child. Also important is the focus on reducing the risk of HIV transmission through breastfeeding. Currently less than 8% of pregnant women worldwide have access to services to prevent mother-to-child transmission.
New HIV prevention technologies
New technologies, such as HIV preventive vaccines and microbicides, offer hope for sustained control of the HIV epidemic, particularly in the world’s most vulnerable and marginalized populations. Given the obstacles many women encounter when trying to negotiate the use of male condoms, there is an urgent need for more prevention options they can initiate themselves. Despite recent disappointments, efforts are still under way to develop microbicides, and they still remain the best promise of a prevention tool women can control. For more information on microbicides visit: www.hivpreventionresearch.org
For more information on intensifying HIV prevention you can download the UNAIDS "Practical guidelines for Intensifying HIV Prevention: Towards Universal Access".
