HIV transmission knowledge, risk perception and condom use behavior change among the Filipino military: A Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) & transnational HIV prevention intervention

This study focuses on the military as a vulnerable and potential bridge population for global HIV transmission with the primary objective of describing, analyzing and evaluating change across three variables – HIV transmission knowledge, HIV risk perception and condom use behavior – among Filipino military men as a result of a community based participatory research (CBPR) HIV prevention intervention. Mobilizing the complete infrastructure of the Philippines to spread HIV prevention messages and develop peer leadership and participation, this study presents data on 399 Filipino military men collected at baseline, post-intervention and follow-up from 1998-2000 in two sites – Lapu-Lapu (intervention) and Cavite (control). This quasi-experimental, crossover study design presents demographic, HIV transmission knowledge, HIV risk perception and condom use behavior data. Change across these three outcome variables was analyzed using t-tests. Both groups at baseline are not significantly different from each other across demographic variables (age, income, marital status, age at sexual onset). Post-intervention, the intervention group demonstrated an overall increase in HIV risk perception and condom use behavior. Analyses will also include item-by-item analyses within the larger constructs of the aforementioned outcome variables. As the U.S. war budget nears $800 billion while funding for health and medicine diminishes, the salience of understanding the impact of militarization on the transnational diffusion of HIV/AIDS across geographic borders continues to grow. This study ascertains that military men are a vulnerable population and a CBPR approach can positively increase HIV risk perception and increase condom use behavior, while increasing specific HIV knowledge items in this population.