195077 Efficacy of HIV Interventions in Developing Countries in Asia and the Pacific Region, 1995-2006: A Meta-Analysis

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Judy Y. Tan, MA , Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
Blair T. Johnson, PhD , Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
Natalie D. Smoak, PhD , Department of psychology, Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, IL
Jessica M. LaCroix, MS , University of Idaho, Department of Psychology and Communication Studies, Moscow, ID
Michael P. Carey, PhD , Syracuse University, Center for Health and Behavior, Syracuse, NY
Background: Asia represents a vast and diverse region of the world where alarming indications for a growing HIV/AIDS epidemic have emerged in recent years. Despite the growing need for intervention research, relatively little is known about the success of HIV/AIDS interventions in Asia, and no comprehensive review of HIV/AIDS interventions in this region exists. The purpose of this study was to summarize the efficacy of sexual risk reduction interventions for the prevention of HIV infection in developing countries in Asia and the Pacific region.

Methods: Sexual risk-reduction outcomes from 19 HIV intervention studies in a developing Asian nation available by August 2006 were quantitatively synthesized. A comprehensive search identified interventions (a) with either a control group or a pre-post design, (b) that measured a sexual risk reduction marker (e.g., condom use, number of sexual partners), and (c) were conducted in a country in the Asia Pacific region. Moderator analyses were also conducted.

Results: Results indicate that behavioral interventions consistently reduced sexual risk. Larger effect sizes were observed with interventions that (a) focused on behavioral change, (b) focused on condom promotion, (c) included social and cultural components, (d) were briefer, and (e) were implemented on multiple levels (i.e., delivered in both individual and small group sessions).

Conclusions: These findings corroborate prior HIV prevention research and indicate the need for brief, multilevel behavioral interventions that promote condom use and incorporate relevant social components. More studies are critically needed to assess variations in intervention features and to target specific sub-populations.

Learning Objectives:
1) Describe meta-analytic results HIV/AIDS intervention studies in Asia and the Pacific Region. 2) Identify and discuss the components of HIV/AIDS interventions effective in reducing sexual risk for populations in Asia and the Pacific region.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a doctoral student in social psychology concentrating on behavioral health sciences and intervention research. I have worked in a community health care setting prior to pursuing a graduate degree. I am currently being trained in quantitative skills, such as meta-analysis, and am completing a graduate certificate training program in Quantitative methods offered by my department.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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