Positively! An HIV Multi-media Education Program

Positively! is a series of videos about HIV, developed through collaboration among  people living with HIV (PLWH), providers, health educators, and a media production team.

Positively! is designed for use by PLWH to help them manage their disease.  Positively! is also a tool to support case managers and medical providers as they explain HIV basics to their clients.

Each Positively! segment begins with a brief  testimonial from a person with HIV or a member of the affected community.  Hosted by a PLWH, Positively! takes advantage of a variety of media, selecting those found to be most effective at communicating each message.   A combination of live action, still photography, text, and animation maintain viewer interest.

A series of graphic logos guide viewers to select segments, for “just in time” learning. Positively! offers optional self-check questions to reinforce the segment’s messages, and provides links to additional on-line resources relevant to each segment.  The fully interactive version of Positively! allows viewers to read the script as the video plays, and to re-view sections needing a bit more time to absorb.

Positively! segments are as follows:

Newly HIV Positive provides information and reassurance for recently-diagnosed people,

How People Get HIV shows how HIV is transmitted, how people can avoid getting HIV, and talks about HIV myths,

HIV in the Body and How HIV Medicine Works show how HIV affects the immune system and how HIV medication helps,

Managing HIV presents a practical plan for living successfully with HIV, and

HIV and Real Life offers suggestions for overcoming barriers to managing HIV.

All roles but one were taken by PLWH in Baltimore and their providers. Positively! is reflective of the urban setting in which it was produced, but the information is appropriate for all audiences.  Segments of Positively! are presented by its producer and director, host and resource guide developer.