Selected Reviews of HIV/AIDS Mass Media Campaigns

Article Topic Scope Studies Findings Conclusions reviewed

General HIV/AIDS campaigns

Holtgrave HIV/AIDS Through 49 studies  Substantial increase in literature  Cost effectiveness studies of (1997) mass media Fall, 1996 conducted in since previous review 1 year before HIV/AIDS media efforts urgently campaigns 18 countries  Most campaigns targeted general needed to help policy-makers in populations using a variety of media decisions about use of campaigns  Few outcome evaluation designs  Importance of campaigns in the included control groups HIV/AIDS area will continue to  No true studies of HIV campaign increase and will require more cost effectiveness careful evaluation

Myhre & HIV/AIDS Through 41 studies  Majority of campaigns targeted  More complete reporting of Flora (2000) mass media 1998 conducted in general public (early campaigns campaign components needed campaigns 17 countries focused on a broad, undefined  Greater integration of theory (peer-reviewed audience) needed articles only)  Fewer than 20% used theory  Better measurement of outcomes  Most (75%) used multiple and evaluation of campaigns communication channels needed  62% provided a measure of  Future campaigns should campaign exposure incorporate community-based and  17% included comparison/control communitywide efforts groups  Knowledge and attitudes most common outcomes Palmgreen HIV/AIDS 1998- 25 studies  Campaigns are increasingly theory-  Estimates of typical campaign et al. (2008) mass media 2005 conducted in based, targeted toward particular effects are difficult to make given campaigns 20 countries audience segments, focused on weak outcome evaluation designs (peer-reviewed behavioral outcomes, and reporting used articles only) higher campaign exposure rates  Campaign designers should  Newer campaigns are increasingly increasingly follow principles of incorporating Internet websites effective campaign design to  Campaigns used weak outcome increase chances of success (e.g., evaluation designs. Only 3 studies Noar, 2006). included a control group.  New studies using multiple principles of campaign design coupled with rigorous evaluation are needed

HIV/AIDS Campaigns in Developing Countries

Bertrand & HIV/AIDS 1990- 15 studies  Campaigns increased HIV  Work toward standardizing Anhang mass media 2004 conducted in knowledge, condom self-efficacy, outcome variables (2006) campaigns Africa, Latin some social norms, interpersonal  Few campaigns have been targeting youth America, and communication, awareness of health rigorously evaluated. Evaluate in developing Asia providers, and condom use future large-scale campaigns using countries  Less evidence for abstinence self- strong quasi-experimental designs efficacy, delaying first sex and that allow causality to be inferred decreasing sex partners  Conduct cost-effectiveness studies  Individuals more highly exposed to of campaigns campaign messages showed greater changes (dose-response)

Bertrand et HIV/AIDS 1990- 24 studies  Mixed results were found on  Many studies had weak outcome al (2006) mass media 2004 conducted outcome variables. Where effects evaluation designs, making strong campaigns in primarily in were found, effect sizes were small conclusions difficult developing Africa, Asia, to moderate  Need alternative methods for countries and Latin  At least half of studies showed evaluating national campaigns (peer-reviewed America / the effects on HIV knowledge and  Need standardized outcomes and articles only) Caribbean reducing high-risk sexual behavior measures to improve  Mixed effects on perceived risk, comparability across studies condom self-efficacy, interpersonal  Need better reporting of campaign communication, abstinence, condom components use

HIV Testing Campaigns

Vidanapath- HIV testing Through 14 studies  Short-term effects on testing  Mass media can be effective in irana et al. campaigns April, conducted in behavior found in all 14 campaigns promoting HIV testing behavior in (2005) using 2004 the United  No long-term effects were found the short term controlled States,  Further research is needed on the designs United effectiveness of different types of Kingdom, mass media, characteristics of Australia, messages, and cost effectiveness and Israel of campaigns (Chapter 29, Exhibit 2)

Table 2

Selected Applications of Computer Technology-based Interventions in HIV/AIDS Prevention

Article Target Population Approach Description Outcomes

Scholes et al. Heterosexually active, Computer- Intervention participants At 6-month follow-up, (2003) non-monogomous tailored self- received a magazine intervention participants young women aged help magazine tailored on characteristics exhibited higher condom 18-24 such as condom stage of self-efficacy, partner change, barriers to condom communication, condom use, and partner type carrying, and condom use compared to controls

Bull et al. (2004) Men who have sex Internet- Intervention participants High attrition made with men delivered received three role model outcome assessment tailored stories tailored to their problematic. At 3-month intervention condom stage of change follow-up, intervention and encouraging participants showed more incremental changes in willingness to visit STD condom use and STD/HIV prevention websites and testing were more likely to get tested for HIV, compared to controls

Kalichman et al. Men and women 8-session In group sessions, At 9-month follow-up, (2006) living with HIV/AIDS intervention intervention participants intervention participants focused on learned about the Internet exhibited greater Internet Internet skills and how to evaluate use for health, information websites for health coping, and social support information, care and compared to an attention- support resources, and matched control clinical trials

Kiene & Barta Heterosexual On-screen Intervention participants At 1-month follow-up, (2006) undergraduate computer- interacted with a computer intervention participants students tailored program that provided exhibited greater condom intervention tailored feedback on safer information, were more sex information, likely to keep condoms motivation, and behavioral handy, and were more skills in the form of text, likely to use condoms quizzes, activities, and compared to an attention- skill-building exercises matched control

Read et al. Caucasian men who Interactive Intervention participants At 3-month follow-up, (2006) have sex with men video engaged with an interactive intervention participants video program that allowed had increased protected them to go on a “virtual anal sex and reduced date,” make decisions unprotected anal sex related to safe sex, and compared to controls (who observe the consequences received counseling only) of those decisions. They also met with a counselor.

Bowen et al. Rural men who have Internet- Intervention participants At 1-week follow-up, (2007) sex with men delivered interacted with a program intervention participants intervention which included dialogue exhibited increased between an HIV-positive knowledge, self-efficacy, and an at-risk HIV- and outcome expectancies negative gay man, compared to wait-list interactive activities and control graphics to illustrate key points