The Star - Online
Tuesday, November 07, 2006 Edition 2
Jillian Green
People who are exposed to HIV prevention campaigns are more likely to change their sexual behaviour than those who are not.
This is according to the results, presented yesterday, of a national survey of HIV and Aids communication conducted by Johns Hopkins University, Health Development Africa representing Khomanani, the Centre for Aids Development Research and Evaluation (CADRE), and Soul City.
loveLife, one of South Africa's biggest HIV prevention campaigns, was not evaluated in the survey although some of its adverts were used as a control variable.
Lawrence Kincaid, an associate scientist at Johns Hopkins University, said condom use increased from 34% among those not reached by programmes, to 60% among those exposed to 10 or more programmes.
The survey found that more than 90% of South Africans recognise the Khomanani campaign logo, and the campaign itself was effective at getting more people to discuss HIV testing with their sexual partner.
Another campaign, Tsha Tsha - an SABC educational television drama series - was watched by more than 14-million viewers, and had "significant impact on condom use, HIV testing and helping people living with HIV and Aids".
Soul City's programmes reached about 70% of the South African population.
The survey included more than 8 000 respondents aged between 15 and 65 from across South Africa.