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American Public Health Association
133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition
December 10-14, 2005
Philadelphia, PA
APHA 2005
 
3037.0: Monday, December 12, 2005 - 9:35 AM

Abstract #113041

HIV/AIDS/STI Prevention Among Military Servicemen in the Philippines using Participatory Action Research

Alfonso Ang, PhD and Donald Morisky, ScD. Department of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, 650 Charles E. Young Drive South, CHS 26-070, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1772, 323 463 8850, acang@ucla.edu

Background/Objectives: The military servicemen in the Philippines have always been considered to be a high-risk group for the contraction of HIV/AIDS/STI. These soldiers tend to cope their stressful work situations with sex, alcohol and drugs. This study assesses the impact of a two-year community-based peer education program aimed at increasing HIV/AIDS/STI knowledge, attitudes and condom use among military servicemen in the Philippines.

Data/Design: A quasi-experimental, cross-over design was used to randomly allocate two groups of military servicemen (200 males in each group) into an intervention and control group. All groups completed a baseline, post-test, and follow-up assessment. Peer educators were trained through cooperative efforts with local NGOs to organize and develop educational materials based on prior diagnostic needs.

Methods: Hierarchical linear models was used to estimate change in knowledge, attitudes and condom use after adjusting for the effects of potential confounders at the individual and organizational level.

Results: Results of the program indicate a significant change in knowledge about HIV/AIDS/STI from baseline to follow-up (p< 0.02). There was also a significant increase in attitudes towards condom use from baseline to follow-up (p< 0.01), and a significant change in condom use after the intervention (p < .001).

Conclusions/Policy Implications: The peer-mediated intervention was found to be a viable and effective means of HIV/AIDS/STI prevention among military servicemen in the Philippines. Policy implication of this intervention identify how cooperative learning between the military organization and community based NGOs can contribute towards HIV/AIDS/STI prevention through participatory action research.

Learning Objectives:

Keywords: Behavioral Research, Condom Use

Related Web page: www.ph.ucla.edu/morisky/

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

HIV/AIDS Prevention: From Safer Medical Procedures to Changed Sexual Behavior

The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA