 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Julie Pulerwitz, ScD1, Vu Ngoc Bao, MD, MA2, Philip Guest, PhD2, Le Thuy Lan Thao, MD3, Duong Xuan Dinh4, and Tran Thi Kim Xuyen Xuyen, PhD5. (1) Horizons project, PATH, 4301 Connecticut Avenue N.W., Suite 280, Washington DC, DC 20008, (202) 237-9400, jpulerwitz@pcdc.org, (2) Reproductive Health Program, Population Council, 37A Van Mieu Str., Hanoi, Vietnam, (3) AIDS Committee, 59 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, 1st District, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, (4) Ho Chi Minh City Labor Union, 14 Cach man Thang Tam Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, (5) College of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National Univeristy, 10-12 Dinh Tien Hoang Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
In Vietnam, as in other parts of the world, promoting HIV prevention among mobile populations is challenging. We investigated the impact and costs of 2 workplace HIV prevention strategies for mobile construction workers - one used peer educators (PEs) and the other visiting “expert” communicators (VCs).
Twenty-three construction sites were selected after a mapping exercise of large construction sites in 19 districts of Ho Chi Minh City. They were randomly assigned to the PE or VC intervention; half of the companies in the PE arm agreed to participate. Six sites each (total of 12) implemented the intervention. Surveys were conducted with primarily male workers at baseline (n = 1244), 6 months (n = 1256), and 1-year follow up (n = 574). Surveys were administered to all PEs and VCs. Weekly monitoring forms tracked activities. In-depth interviews were held with 12 managers and 20 workers.
Knowledge, condom efficacy, sexual norms, and life skills significantly improved (p < .05), and HIV-related stigma decreased (p < .05), in both arms, but more so among workers exposed to the PE program. Evidence suggests a diffusion effect in PE sites, but not VC sites, since workers not directly exposed to PEs also reported positive change. PEs fared as well or significantly better than VCs with knowledge, drop out rates, and contact with workers, management was more supportive of the PE program, and it was less costly.
While both strategies had a positive impact, the PE program had a number of advantages over the HC program.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Prevention, Worksite
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.