Exploring the Linkage Between Exposure to Mass Media & HIV Testing among Married Women & Men in Ghana

Although HIV testing is critical to the treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS, utilization rate of HIV testing services among married women and men remains low in Ghana. Mass media, as a tool to increase overall HIV testing turnouts, has been considered one of the important strategies in promoting and enhancing behavioural changes related to HIV/AIDS prevention. 

Using the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, the current study examines the relationship between levels of exposure to print media, radio, and television and the uptake of HIV testing among married women and men in Ghana. Results show that HIV testing is more prevalent among married women than their male counterparts. 

We also find that higher levels of exposure to radio is associated with HIV testing among women, while higher levels of exposure to print media and television are associated with HIV testing among men. 

Implications of these findings are discussed for Ghana's HIV/AIDS strategic framework, which aims to expanding efforts at dealing with the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Specifically, it is important for health educators and programme planners to deliver HIV-related messages through television, radio, and print media to increase the uptake of HIV testing particularly among married women and men in Ghana.

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By:  Sano Y1, Sedziafa AP2, Amoyaw JA1, Boateng GO1, Kuuire VZ3, Boamah S4, Kwon E1.

• 1 Department of Sociology , University of Western Ontario (http://sociology.uwo.ca/), Room 5306, Social Science Centre, London , ON , Canada.
• 2 Department of Gender Studies , Memorial University of Newfoundland , Science Building 4082, St. John's , NL , Canada.
• 3 Department of Geography , University of Western Ontario , Room 1424, Social Science Centre, London , ON , Canada.
• 4 Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Health Sciences Addition , University of Western Ontario , London , ON , Canada. 

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#TestMeEast: A Campaign to Increase HIV Testing in Hospitals & to Reduce Late Diagnosis

Late diagnosis occurs in almost half of those diagnosed in the UK (HIV Prevention England, 2013. Retrieved June 22, 2014, from HIV Prevention England: http://www.hivpreventionengland.org.uk/Campaigns-Current/National-HIV-Testing-Week). Testing occurs mainly in sexual health and antenatal clinics despite recommendations to test more broadly 

We report the findings of an HIV-testing week campaign to offer testing to those who have blood tests as part of routine care within outpatient clinics and emergency departments of six London hospitals. The campaign target was to test 500 patients a day during the 2013 National HIV Testing Week (NHTW). Clinic staff and medical students were trained to offer routine HIV testing. Linkage to care was arranged for those who tested HIV-positive. 

During NHTW we tested 2402 of the planned 2500 test target. 2402/4317 (55.6% 95% CI 54.1-57.1%) of those who had routine blood tests were tested for HIV. There were eight HIV-positive tests; three were new diagnoses (all linked to care). The campaign hashtag #TestMeEast achieved a total Twitter "reach" of 238, 860 and the campaign had widespread news coverage. Our campaign showed that staff and students could be trained and mobilised to do thousands of routine HIV tests during a campaign.

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By:   Bath R1, O'Connell R1, Lascar M1, Ferrand R2, Strachan S3, Matin N1, Bassnet I1, Orkin C1,4.

• 1 Barts Health NHS Trust , London , UK.
• 2 London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine , London , UK.
• 3 Positively UK , London , UK.
• 4 HIV Medicine, Infection and Immunity , Royal London Hospital , London , UK. 

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Talk Radio as the Soundtrack of Our Lives: Participatory HIV/AIDS Communication, Public Self-Expression & Positive Talk

Despite the many HIV/AIDS communication initiatives, combined with support and infrastructural support in South Africa, risky behaviour associated with the spread of the epidemic is increasing amongst many groups. This calls for a re-evaluation of endeavours aimed at curbing the spread of the epidemic. This article is only concerned with the communicational aspects of the epidemic, but does not negate the interaction of these with other measures taken to address the epidemic. 

As is the case with most health communication initiatives, HIV/AIDS communication initiatives have evolved to favour the participatory approach above one-directional transmission of information to the public. The participatory approach rests on the assumption that an HIV/AIDS communication initiative stands the best chance of resulting in behaviour change if members of the target community participate in the communication initiative. The assumption is that as many people as possible should be involved in the maximum number of phases of the communicative initiative (such as initial research, planning, implementation and evaluation of the project). Some research has recently started to explore new forms of community participation, including inviting community participation through, for example, internet-based platforms such as social media, and mobile phone platforms such as WhatsApp and BBM. However, the reality broadcast genre - more specifically, talk radio - has been neglected, as only a few research investigations focused on talk radio and most of these are not exclusively about HIV/AIDS communication but focus on other health topics. 

From a participatory communication perspective, two sets of critique against the existing HIV/AIDS communication projects hold water: firstly, they do not make the maximum use of participatory communication principles and, secondly, they are externally initiated projects and emanate from outside the target community. To address both of these concerns, this article explores a wider range of participatory principles and the potential workings of these in an internally initiated communication initiative aimed at addressing the epidemic. More specifically, this article investigates ways in which radio listeners experience the reality broadcast genre - the talk radio show, Positive Talk - as participatory communication. 

Positive Talk is not an externally initiated project, as it is not part of a pre-planned, goal-oriented project that is owned and controlled outside the target community. In contrast, it has been initiated by Criselda Kananda, an individual not linked to any of the existing initiatives outside the community. She started the show to earn a living. She became a well-known person, is fairly knowledgeable in the field and was granted this opportunity as she is HIV-positive. In order to investigate how radio listeners use the show to engage in HIV/AIDS communication, 20 in-depth interviews were held with avid listeners of the show. 

The respondents indicated that they appreciate ordinary people phoning in. When expressing their opinions about the show, they found Kananda's life story credible, believed her public and private life to be congruent, valued Kananda's personality and respectful manner and could identify with the views expressed. In the article, it is argued that these ideas are largely in line with the principles of participatory communication tied to democracy, the participatory turn, the ordinary, validation of identity and respectful dialogue. 

Although the findings of this qualitative study cannot be generalised to the whole listening population of the show, they indicate that it is worth investigating the value of communication initiatives that emerge spontaneously from communities (instead of those strategically engineered from outside the general population) as a future direction of HIV/AIDS communication in the country.

Full article at:   http://goo.gl/sRPZp0

By:   Burger M1.

• 1a D Litt et Phil is affiliated to the Department of Communication Studies , University of Johannesburg , Johannesburg , South Africa, *Email: mburger@uj.ac.za. 

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¡NYC se divierte con protección!

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Economics of Mass Media Health Campaigns with Health-Related Product Distribution: A Community Guide Systematic Review

Context

The objective of this systematic review was to determine the costs, benefits, and overall economic value of communication campaigns that included mass media and distribution of specified health-related products at reduced price or free of charge.

Evidence Acquisition

Economic evaluation studies from a literature search from January 1980–December 2009 were screened and abstracted following systematic economic review methods developed by The Community Guide. Data were analyzed in 2011.

Evidence Synthesis

The economic evidence was grouped and assessed by type of product distributed and health risk addressed. A total of 15 evaluation studies were included in the economic review, involving campaigns promoting the use of child car seats or booster seats, pedometers, condoms, recreational safety helmets, and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT).

Conclusion

Economic merits of the intervention could not be determined for health communication campaigns associated with use of recreational helmets, child car seats, and pedometers, primarily because available economic information and analyses were incomplete. There is some evidence that campaigns with free condom distribution to promote safer sex practices were cost-effective among high-risk populations and the cost per quit achieved in campaigns promoting tobacco cessation with NRT products may translate to a cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) less than $50,000. Many interventions were publicly funded trials or programs, and the failure to properly evaluate their economic cost and benefit is a serious gap in the science and practice of public health.

Table 2

Details of included studies

Study and Year Location Population Design Type of economic analysis	Intervention components Length of intervention Volunteers and in-kind contributions	Effectiveness	Intervention cost and components	Economic benefits considered	Summary economic outcome
Child safety seat use
St Louis 200819 Oakland County, MI Area Pop: 197,846 Low-income community pop: Not reported Hispanic community pop: 11,355 Pre-Post with Comparison Funded amount	TV, radio, print, small media, community mobilization, child seats, small group education 15 months Used volunteers	No difference for low- income community Hispanic community: Before - 9.7% After - 14.9% (Control: Before- 18.2%, After-14.8%) 358 free seats distributed	$53,209 grant to each of two communities No details about number of vouchers redeemed	None	None
Pedometer distribution
Brown 20069 Eakin 200711 Rockhampton, Australia Pop: 60,000 (40,000 adults) Pre-Post with Comparison Funded amount and partial intervention cost	TV, radio, print, small media, pedometers, phone support, website, small group education, improved municipal signage and footpaths, formative research 2 years Volunteers and in-kind contributions	No significant effect	Grant plus in-kind contributions: $530,700 Includes paid advertising and event marketing: $17,400, with additional $43,500 in-kind	None	None
Condom distribution
Alstead 19996 Seattle, WA Pop size not reported 15-17-year-olds in three communities within Seattle Pre-Post Partial intervention cost	Radio, small media, community mobilization, condoms, small group education, formative research 7 months Volunteers used	No significant difference in condom use at last intercourse between those exposed and unexposed to campaign	$276,617 for formative research, media and placement, professional advertising and vending services plus $15,000 for condoms	None	None
Kahn 200113 Intervention: Eugene, OR Control: Santa Barbara, CA Target gay men aged 18-27 years (approx 1,100 in area) Pre-Post with Comparison Modeled cost- effectiveness	(Print, small media, community mobilization, small group education, formative research, condoms) 8 months Modeled 1, 5, 20 years Volunteers used	27% reduction in risk sex behavior (measured as reduction in unprotected anal sex) Assumed reduction in risk translates directly to same percent reduction in HIV incidence. Authors provide rationale for assumption based in literature.	$113,641 or $676 per person (For personnel, computers and supplies, publicity and communications, condoms, travel, workspace)	Health care averted based on lifetime medical care cost for treating HIV infections using estimates from literature	Societal net savings= intervention cost minus averted medical costs: 1 year: $265K 5 years: $875K 20 years: $1,714K
Kennedy 200014 Sacramento, CA About 6,000–10,000 sexually active adolescents Pre-Post with series of surveys Funded amount	Radio, small media, community mobilization, phone support, small peer-led group education, condoms 1 year	OR of condom use with main partner at last intercourse: 1.26 OR of condom carrying: 1.27	Funding: $335,358 (~$42 per target person) No component details provided	None	None
Rebchook 200616 Multiple sites, U.S. Young gay men Cross-section of 26 community-based organizations (CBOs) Program budgets	Print, small media, community mobilization, small group education, formative research NA – data collected during 2002–2005	NA	26 CBOs provided data Annual operating budget: >$171K: 19%; $79,800-$171K: 19%; $22,800- $79,800: 5%; ≤$22,800: 23%; Don’t know: 23% Avg: $112,570; Median: $80,370; Range: $7,980– $394,349	NA	NA
Recreational helmets distribution
Bergman 19908 Seattle, WA Elementary school children and parents (N=56,179) Pre-Post with Comparison Product discount information	TV, radio, print, small media, community mobilization, helmets, phone support 3 years Volunteers used	At 16 months: Intervention (Seattle): – 5% to 16%; Control (Portland): 1% to 3%; Difference: 9%	Only intervention cost was $5K contribution to small media. Usual price of helmets $40–$60. Round 1: $19.95 helmets with coupons (5,155 of 109,450 coupons redeemed) Round 2: $25 helmet sales increasing from 1986-1.5K; 1987- 5K; 1988-22K; Partial 1989-30K	None	None
Levy 200715 Denver, CO Pop. size not reported Skiers and snowboarders in area Pre-Post with Comparison Product discount information	TV (newscast), print, small media, community mobilization, helmets, formative research 4 ski seasons starting 1998-1999 Volunteers used	Helmet acceptance among renters: 1998-99:13.8% 2001-2002: 33.5% For control stores, corresponding percentages were 1.38% and 4.48% Observations of helmet days/rental days: 98-99: 2,150/15,567 99-00:55,581/179,705 00-01: 44,351/132,219 01-02: 75,037/224,008 Observed helmet use on slopes by skiers: 98-99: 7.7% to 01-02: 20.3%	Usual helmet rental cost: $3.74 to $12.46 provided free to renters of package. Based on helmet days from effect size and lower estimate for rental cost, 4-year outlay was $662,425 with annual average of $165,606	None	None
Rouzier 199517 Grand Junction, CO 8,600 elementary school children and parents Pre-Post Product discount information	Radio (news), print, small media, community mobilization, helmets, small group education 2 years Volunteers used	Observed helmet use over 3 years: 1992: 5.6% 1993: 12.5% 1994: 30%	Phase 1: Helmets purchased for 18.36-$26.01. 1,080 sold for $7.65; 1,080 for $22.95; and 240 for $26.01 Phase 2: 4,000 sold for $19.87	None	None
Smith 199118 Oakland County, MI 3,100 middle and junior high students and parents from six schools Pre-Post Funded amount and partial intervention cost	TV, small media, community mobilization, phone support, small group education, formative research 5 months	Self-reported helmet ownership increased from 5% to 18.5%. From pre to post, parent-reported helmet use 50% of time increased ~2% to ~4% for low-intensity group and ~2% to ~11% for high- intensity group	Grant $358,355 fully financed intervention. 200 helmets given away in low-intensity group at cost of $14681.28 63 helmets given away in high- intensity group for cost of $4624.80	None	None
Wood 198821 Victoria, Australia Statewide population Pre-Post Partial intervention cost	TV, radio, print, small media, reduced price, formative research 1 year Volunteers used	Metro Melbourne: Observed helmeted: Primary school students: 4.6% in 1983 to 38.6% in 1985 Secondary school students: 1.6% in 1983 to 14.0% in 1985 Adults: 26.1% in 1983 to 42% in 1985 20% reduction in bicycle-related motor vehicle crash head injury in Victoria in 1982-1983 combined, compared to 1984	Partial cost provided as cost of TV/radio campaign was $294,286; total cost of rebates for helmets of $745,200 (calculated by reviewers)	None	None
Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) distribution
Bauer 20067 Western NY All callers to quitline Pre-Post with Comparison Cost per additional quitline caller	Print, small media, community mobilization, phone support, NRT, supplies 3-4 weeks 3 Treated Arms: Arm 1: Newspaper and magazine ad with NRT Arm 2: Newspaper ad Arm 3: Newspaper ad with cigarette look-alike	Arm 1: Incremental calls – 4724 Quit (7-day abstinence): 22% for those redeeming NRT versus 12% pre-NRT, implying OR=1.77 Arm 2: Incremental calls – 14 Arm 3: Not reported Treated quits: 20% Controls: 24%	Arm1: $58,487 (For newspaper and magazine ad and NRT) Arm 2: $3,810 for newspaper ad Arm 3: Not reported (For newspaper ad and plastic cigarette at $1.71 each)	None	Cost per incremental call Arm 1: $12.54. Arm 2: $272.46 Arm 3: $93.48
Cummings 2006a10 (linked to Miller 200522 and Cummings 2006b23) 4 regions of New York Region I: Buffalo area, n=1,099 Region II: 8 counties, n=1,334 Region III: 15 counties, n=2,323 Region IV: NYC, n=35,334 All callers to quitline Pre-Post with Treated Comparison Cost per additional quit	Radio, print, small media, NRT, phone support 4 regions with varying durations of free NRT and type of media Region I: 2 weeks with earned media Region II: 2 months with earned media and paid radio Region III: 4 weeks with earned media and print ads Region IV: 6 weeks with earned media	Daily call volume by region Region: Before/After I: 312/63=5.0 II: 393/79=4.97 III: 931/60=15.5 IV: 7,213/552=13.1 Region: Percent quits (risk ratio) Pre-NRT: 12% (1.0) I: 27% (2.9) II: 21% (2.0) III: 24% (2.4) IV: 33% (3.8)	Intervention cost (per enrollee) by region: I: $52,856 ($48) II: $43,823 ($33) III: $110,382 ($48) IV: $3.08 Mil ($87)	None	Cost per quit due to NRT by region: I: $312(n=169) II: $349(n=125) III: $396(n=279) IV: $396(n=7770)
Fellows 200712 State of Oregon Pop. size not reported All callers to quitline Pre-Post Cost per LYS	TV, radio, NRT, phone support, counseling 3 months	Calls to quitline Jan- June (monthly avg): Pre-Patch: 3,214 (136) Patch Period: 6,823 (1,137); Difference: 3,609 (602) Quits defined as 30- day abstinence at 6 months: Pre-Patch: 8.2% Patch:15.7%	Note: 2 months of paid ads assumed for post- patch period for cost-effectiveness analysis. Pre vs patch period Total cost: $224,5897 vs $256,5552 Media cost: $1,579,056 vs $483,789 NRT+counseling cost: $666,841 vs $2,081,763	Quits converted to LYS based on age- specific estimates from literature	Pre vs. patch period Callers: 6,428 vs 13646 Quits (%): 527 (8.2) vs 2,142 (15.7) LYS: 1,246 vs 4,502 Cost/quit: $4,261 vs $1,197 Incremental cost/quit: NA vs $198 Incremental cost/LYS: NA vs $98 (Bounds of $25 to $402 per LYS based on sensitivity analysis on quit rate, intervention cost, and discount rate)
Tinkelman 200720 State of Ohio All callers to quitline Pre-Post with Comparison Partial intervention cost	NRT, phone support, formative research Multimillion $ media campaign but no details about channels. NRT became available in July 2005; 4-week supply plus another 4 weeks if continuing in program. NRT promoted through media Sept 2005–April 2006 (7 months).	Call volume per day: increase from 78 per day pre-NRT to 188 post-NRT Quit (7-day abstinence) 10.3% pre NRT and 14.9% post NRT, measured at 6- month follow-up. Post NRT quit rate 11.2% for Counseling Only and 20.2% for Counseling + NRT.	Pre-NRT (Jul 2004-Apri 2005) media costs $4,620,000; Post-NRT (Sept 2005–Apr 2006) $3,180,000. No cost of NRTs provided. Reviewers assumed difference went to finance free NRT.	None	None

Avg, average; K, thousand (000); LYS, life-years saved; NRT, nicotine replacement therapy

Full article at:   http://goo.gl/KEZeVX

By:   Verughese Jacob, PhD, MPH, Sajal K. Chattopadhyay, PhD, Randy W. Elder, PhD, MEd, Maren N. Robinson, MPH,Kristin A. Tansil, MSW, Robin E. Soler, PhD, Magdala P. Labre, PhD, Shawna L. Mercer, MSc, PhD, and Community Preventive Services Task Force

Community Guide Branch, Division of Epidemiology, Analysis, and Library Services (Jacob, Chattopadhyay, Elder, Robinson, Tansil, Soler, Labre, Mercer), CDC, Atlanta, Georgia.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Verughese Jacob, Community Guide Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Mailstop E69, Atlanta, GA 30333. vog.cdc@0rih Phone: 404-498-6884 FAX: 404-498-0989

  

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New York City HIV Prevention Campaign - #PlaySure

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New York City HIV Prevention Advertisement

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New York City HIV Prevention Advertisement

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New York City HIV Prevention Advertisement

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New York City HIV Prevention Advertisement

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New York City HIV Prevention Advertisement

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It's Never Just HIV: Exposure to an HIV Prevention Media Campaign and Behavior Change among Men Who Have Sex with Men Participating in the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System in New York City

PURPOSE:

The aim of this study was to assess the exposure to and impact of the It's Never Just HIV mass media campaign aimed at HIV negative men who have sex with men (MSM) in New York City.

METHODS:

Questions about the campaign were included in the local questionnaire of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-sponsored National HIV Behavioral Surveillance (NHBS) study of MSM in NYC conducted in 2011. Participants of this cross-sectional study were recruited using venue-based sampling.

RESULTS:

Among 447 NYC National HIV Behavioral Surveillance study participants who self-reported HIV negative or unknown status and answered questions about the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's It's Never Just HIV campaign, more than one-third (n = 173, 38.7%) reported having seen the campaign. Latinos (34.8%) and blacks (34.4%) were less likely to report seeing the campaign compared to whites (47.7%). Most of those who reported seeing the campaign saw it on the subway (80.1%). Only 9.4% of those who saw the campaign reported having changed their sexual or health behaviors in response to the campaign.

CONCLUSIONS:

These data suggest that thousands of HIV-uninfected MSM in NYC have been reached by the campaign and recalled its message.

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By:   Reilly KH1, Neaigus A1, Shepard CW1, Cutler BH1, Sweeney MM1, Rucinski KB2, Jenness SM3, Wendel T4, Marshall DM 4th4, Hagan H5

• 1 Bureau of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control , New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, New York.
• 2 Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
• 3 Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington , Seattle, Washington.
• 4 Department of Anthropology, John Jay College of Criminal Justice , New York, New York.
• 5 College of Nursing, New York University , New York, New York.

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