217781 Adapting a Men's Intervention to Address Alcohol and Drug Abuse in Cape Town, South Africa

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Wendee M. Wechsberg, MS, PhD , Substance Abuse Treatment Evaluations and Interventions, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC
Rodney Fortuin, BA , EnGender Health, Cape Town, South Africa
Tara Carney, MA , Alcohol and Drug Unit, Medical Research Council, Tygerberg (Cape Town), South Africa
Felicia A. Browne, MPH, CHES , Substance Abuse Treatment Evaluations and Interventions, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC
Bronwyn Myers, PhD , Alcohol and Drug Unit, Medical Research Council, Tygerberg (Cape Town), South Africa
William A. Zule, DrPH , Substance Abuse Treatment Interventions and Evaluations, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC
Issues: South Africa has high rates of alcohol abuse and gender-based violence and where the most people live with HIV. Best-evidence interventions focusing on the intersection of substance abuse, sexual risk and gender-based violence among women substance-abusers have been operating in South Africa for several years. Yet, men have been neglected relative to these intersecting risks and the related role multiple partners and unprotected sex plays with time in unlicensed taverns in informal settlements, to the extensive alcohol abuse and unemployment. Description: For the last year, an adaptation has been underway with both Black African and Coloured men who spend time in taverns, have a partner and have observed violence against women. This new program has been pretested and piloted. Lessons Learned: During both phases the men were very surprised to learn about the effects of alcohol and other drugs on their virility and fertility. They admitted that some drugs like methamphetamine made them want to have sex more and also lead to more partnerships and unprotected sex. Learning about the drug facts related to sex seemed more important than the other health hazards. They did admit to rape of women as an issue with men on methamphetamine. Teaching harm reduction methods such as reduced drinking, drinking water with each drink, and eating food appeared to be a new concept. The full NIAAA RCT trial will begin in May 2010. The intervention includes facts about alcohol and other drugs, HIV/STIs, gender roles, gender-based violence prevention, communication and problem-solving.

Learning Areas:
Diversity and culture
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
1) Participants will learn how the history in South Africa affected alcohol and drug use by men and their treatment of women that relates to gender-based violence and high rates of HIV from focus group findings, pretests and piloting of an adapted intervention. 2) The participants will learn the process of adapting and integrating AOD into an intervention with local cultural issues, and be able to identify the core elements of the integrated men’s intervention.

Keywords: Alcohol Use, Gender

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the PI of the study and lead the adaptation phase.
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.

Back to: 4130.0: Drug Use Across the Globe