Overcoming language barriers in HIV treatment education and counseling in six high prevalence states of India

Issue: Since HIV infection and treatment is lifelong, treatment information, education, and counseling can empower a person to adhere to treatment, live longer and healthier life. In linguistically diverse states of India, major challenge of providing antiretroviral therapy for people living with HIV through public health system is supporting them with treatment information in their language to ensure adherence.

Description: As capacity building organization, curricula for training HIV positive peers and service providers like counselors and social workers in treatment education were developed. Recognizing need for information in local languages, training curricula and job-aids were made available in five Indian languages. A coordinated process was adopted to translate complicated medical concepts pertaining to virology, pharmacology, antiretroviral therapy, adherence, resistance and biomedical tests along with issues about living with HIV. Simple appropriate terms were chosen to simplify information. Curricula were field-tested with positive people for user friendliness.

Lessons learned: HIV positive treatment educators and service providers were able to understand and retain information better and were able to communicate information to others effectively. Programs developing education and communication materials should recognize the need for supporting professional translators to ensure concepts when translated are understood and free of stigmatizing or discriminatory language. Example ‘risk' translates to ‘danger' in a language; to reduce fear/ stigma ‘vulnerability to HIV' was used.

Recommendations: When communicating complex information on HIV treatment, ensure it is in person's own language, sensitive and service providers are equipped with skills to communicate quality information in client's language to maximize adherence.