Tchupo JP, Kuepie M, Saidel , Debuscher , Boupda ; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 1998; 12: 921-2 (abstract no. 43386).
IRESCO, Yaounde, Cameroon.
ISSUE: It is well known that armed forces are a sub-population with high risk of having STD/AIDS. That's why in 1993 AIDSCAP implemented a three years project to reduce the risk of contracting AIDS and other STD among Cameroonian armed forces. The aim of this abstract is to value the success of that project through changes observed on its indicators. PROJECT: In 1993, giving the high rate of HIV infected among soldiers in Cameroon (with a seroprevalency of 6.2% against 1% for the hole population), the Ministry of Public health and that of Armed forces, decided to launch a project to sensitize Soldiers in adopting safe sexual behaviors. That project was carried out by AIDSCAP and evaluated by IRESCO (Institut de Recherche et des Etudes de Comportements). The project activities were based on the peer educators strategy. The major aims of the project were: increase the rate of condom use during risked sexual intercourse (by 20%); reduce the ratio of soldiers with more than two sexual partner during the last three months (by 25%). Surveys were done at the beginning and at the end of the project (by IRESCO) to measure the project achievement. RESULTS: The Comparison of the project indicators at the launching and at the end of the activities shows that: The use of condom (ever use condom) has increased from 66% to 74%. The use of condom with prostitute during the last month had increase from 46% to 58%. The proportion of those with more than 2 sexual partners during the last three months has decreased from 47% to 37%. We see that the project has reduced risked behaviors indeed, but the achievements remain less than the forecasts. LESSONS LEARNED: Sensitization through peers education strategy among homogeneous subpopulation yields undeniable results in reducing risked sexual behaviors. But, to have more effective results, it would be better to associate to it others AIDS prevention strategies.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Behavior
- Cameroon
- Condoms
- Data Collection
- Evaluation Studies
- Government Agencies
- HIV
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- Sexual Behavior
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- methods
- prevention & control
- therapy
Other ID:
UI: 102231550
From Meeting Abstracts