Prevention - HIV/AIDS

EDC has developed three new culturally-targeted videos to supplement the VOICES/VOCES HIV/STD prevention program. VOICES/VOCES, an intervention that has been proven effective in reducing rates of new STD infection, has been disseminated to about 1500 agencies through the United States, and is one of the widely used behavioral interventions. Over 600 agencies and 1500 trainers have delivered the program.

In a series of prior research studies, the VOICES/VOCES HIV-prevention intervention has been shown to reduce new sexually transmitted infections (STI) and encourage condom use among high-risk heterosexual African American and Latino men and women, populations that bear a disproportionate burden of the AIDS epidemic. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether VOICES/VOCES, a single-session, group-level behavioral intervention, is outcome- and cost-effective when implemented in “real world” settings with agency staff delivering the intervention under routine clinic conditions.

The Zambia QUESTT Project aims to improve the quality of basic education delivery systems and to mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS on children’s educational experiences (both in and out of government schools). To accomplish these objectives, QUESTT is leading several initiatives to improve teacher practice through the integration of Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI) in government schools and technology-based interventions. These interventions include the use of video and cell phone communication for both in-service and preservice teacher support.

Serving communities in the Three Areas, HEAR Sudan builds capacity of local stakeholders to plan, implement and monitor health and education services, helps translate this increased capacity into action, and builds community support for school governance and outreach. HEAR strengthens linkages between educators and health workers with the aim of increasing healthy girls’ and boys’ access to quality education.

EDC continues to expand its Teenage Health Teaching Modules (THTM), a comprehensive school health curriculum for grades 6 through 12 used in all 50 states and several countries. EDC is updating scientific content and making the modules responsive to the ethnic and cultural diversity of today’s classrooms. New materials include Getting Active and Eating Well and Voices Against Violence. THTM has been identified as a “promising” model program by the U.S. Department of Education.

EDC is conducting an effectiveness study of a parent education program to reduce early sexual initiation and alcohol use among young adolescent girls, funded by the National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the Office for Research on Women at NIH. With extensive community input, the researchers developed a set of audio-CDs, Especially for Daughters, which is targeted to African American and Latino families.

dot-EDU was an information and communication technology (ICT) intervention mechanism for USAID Missions seeking to improve education systems in their respective countries. dot-EDU sought to assist developing countries in strengthening learning systems that improve quality, expand access, and enhance equity through carefully planned applications of digital and broadcast technologies. The dot-EDU mission had two foci. First, dot-EDU provided training and technical assistance to support USAID Missions in developing and implementing technology-assisted applications.

As part of an effort to increase the participation of southern Sudanese in the peace process, the Sudan Radio Service provides access to balanced and useful information through radio-based education, news, and entertainment programs presented by local presenters in ten local languages.

Working with the YMCA in Nakhon Pathom, EDC/HHD’s project supports 30 children in grades 5–7 (between 11 and 14 years old) with scholarships for schools. In addition, the project provides life skills and health education training to the children, their peers and families, and communities and networks of people living with HIV and AIDS. Peer educators who participate in the project share their knowledge with peers in primary and junior high school through condom use demonstrations and educational seminars about the disease.