Recorded presentation

Jean J. E. Bonhomme, MD, MPH, Behavioral Sciences and Health Education Department, Rollins School of Public Health of Emory University, 3915 Cascade Road, Suite 350, Atlanta, GA 30331, (404) 691-7818, jbonhom@sph.emory.edu, Sherene Brown, MPH, Information Technology Support Contract (CITS), CDC, 1600 Clifton Road NE, MS E-46, Atlanta, GA 30333, Sterling Brunson, Program Coordinator, PHIPP Project, AIDS Administration, 500 No. Calvert St., 3rd Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202, Mari Gasiorowicz, MA, WI Division of Public Health - AIDS/HIV Program, 1 West Wilson Street, Room 318, PO Box 2659, Madison, WI 53701-2659, Fred Molitor, ETR Associates, 2210 21st Street, Sacramento, CA 95818, and Damaris Richardson, LSW, Division of Health Communications, Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 500 N. Calvert St. 5th FL., Baltimore, MD 21221.

ISSUE: The Prevention for HIV-Infected Persons Project (PHIPP) has been able to glean valuable lessons from Prevention Case Management (PCM) interventions.

PROJECT: PHIPP is a demonstration project which funded health departments providing PCM in Maryland, Wisconsin, Los Angeles, and California from 1998-2003. Service settings included HIV/AIDS service agencies and clinics, correctional facilities, and mobile vans.

LESSONS LEARNED: Data collected from baseline and follow-up surveys on approximately 500 clients reveal declines in HIV risk behavior attributable to participation in local PCM programs, including increased condom use during vaginal and anal intercourse, decreased diagnosis of STD’s, decreased unprotected sex with persons of unknown or negative HIV serostatus, decreased injection drug use, decreased sex with injection drug users, and decreased use of non-injected substances. Cross-site commonalities in PCM include focus on behavior change to reduce HIV transmission, client-centered approach, linkage and coordination with other services, and rapport building. However, PCM design, implementation, and recruitment strategies vary widely according to each site’s structural setting, target groups, local resources, and client needs. Client retention in PCM interventions is strengthened through rapport building with providers. During recruitment, gaining participants’ trust requires considerable attention. PCM may be conceptually and structurally challenging to integrate into existing case management and other programs. Incremental PCM client progress may be captured utilizing specialized follow-up data collection survey tools. However, measurement of incremental changes in behavior presents challenges. Qualitative methodologies may be useful in assessing and understanding PCM clients’ progress and clarifying the underlying meaning of conclusions derived from quantitative data.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Identify at least one method of measuring behavior change in PCM interventions.
• Recognize at least three commonly encountered barriers to PCM implementation.
• Identify at least three approaches that could potentially circumvent existing implementation barriers to PCM activities.

Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation