ABSTRACT
PIP: After 9 months of market research and collaboration among local health officials, businesses, politicians, and teenagers, Population Services International (PSI) launched Project ACTION in Portland, Oregon on December 1, 1992. It is the first PSI project in the United States concerned with prevention of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in American youth. PSI has conducted 23 projects worldwide over the last 20 years that were based on social marketing (the utilization of commercial marketing techniques to promote healthy behavior). The objective of the project is promotion of safe sex practices, especially the use of condoms, among sexually active youth, aged 12-21. The Mass Media and Condom Social Marketing project of PSI in Zaire was used as a model for Project ACTION. Techniques used include mass marketing campaigns, point of purchase promotion, improvement of access to key products among target populations, and adjustment of purchase price to create a market. The target populations include adolescents who use drugs, are involved with the juvenile justice system, are pregnant, have a problem home environment, are homeless or live on the street, are chronically absent from school, or have a history of sexually transmitted disease.^ieng
Subject(s)
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome , Adolescent , Condoms , HIV Infections , Health Behavior , Health Planning , Health Services Needs and Demand , Marketing of Health Services , Sexual Behavior , Africa , Africa South of the Sahara , Africa, Northern , Age Factors , Americas , Behavior , Contraception , Democratic Republic of the Congo , Demography , Developed Countries , Developing Countries , Disease , Economics , Family Planning Services , North America , Oregon , Population , Population Characteristics , United States , Virus DiseasesABSTRACT
PIP: Health communicators use entertainment and mass media to prevent HIV transmission. Population Services International operates an AIDS Mass Media Project as an adjunct to its Condom Social Marketing Project. It collaborates with the Government of Zaire's National AIDS Program. Its 1st target is urban youth because most AIDS cases in Zaire were infected as teenagers, urban youth have access to television (TV), and they take part in high risk sexual behavior. The project uses various AIDS songs to reach this group. A 6-month posttest shows that the 1st song was so effective that 65% heard it and that 93% of them recalled the major AIDS messages and 85% said that they changed their behavior. The project distributes a video of the 1990 World AIDS Day concert. Research in Zaire and other African countries shows that the threat AIDS poses to children's health strongly motivates parents' behavior. Thus the 2nd target is the 20-30 year old group--young and prospective parents. The project boasts a 4-part TV series about a groom who does not reveal his AIDS status to his young bride until after their wedding night. 2 scenes stress the benefits of condoms. After its 1st airing, 66% of the 20-30 year old group in Kinshasa watched all 4 parts of the series. Of these, about 75% said they would change their behavior. Most people in Zaire change behavior by using condoms. Indeed, during the mass media campaign, condom sales grew 1000% which saved almost 7200 lives. The project also features comic strips informing working men and women and teenagers about AIDS and distributes an inexpensive notebook listening AIDS facts and myths for school children. The project uses regional radio stations to broadcast 28 AIDS feature programs, 22 radio spots, 8 AIDS radio dramas, and 2 songs to high priority rural areas. These AIDS radio efforts have indeed influenced AIDS knowledge and attitudes.^ieng
Subject(s)
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome , Adolescent , Communication , Condoms , HIV Infections , Marketing of Health Services , Mass Media , Population , Radio , Television , Videotape Recording , Africa , Africa South of the Sahara , Africa, Northern , Age Factors , Contraception , Democratic Republic of the Congo , Demography , Developing Countries , Disease , Economics , Family Planning Services , Population Characteristics , Tape Recording , Virus DiseasesABSTRACT
Television promotion of family planning and clinic sites in three cities of Nigeria--Ilorin, Ibadan, and Enugu--played a significant role in 1985-88 in increasing the number of new acceptors at family planning clinics in each city. Family planning skits, prepared with advice and support from the local service providers, were included in existing popular entertainment shows. Questions asked in a recall survey among the exposed population in Enugu and Ibadan revealed that about half of those surveyed in both cities had seen the television episodes. Of those who had watched, 79 and 99 percent, respectively, recalled the family planning messages, and 69 and 88 percent, respectively, recalled specific clinic sites mentioned. Following the media promotion, the number of new clinic clients per quarter in Ilorin increased almost fivefold (in the original clinics evaluated); in Enugu, the number of new clients per month more than doubled; and in Ibadan, the number of new clients increased threefold. Use of entertainment through this "enter-educate approach" is a promising technique that can be replicated in different settings to encourage new clients to seek family planning services.
