A cross-site intervention in Chinese rural migrants enhances HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitude and behavior.

Ning Li,Xueliang Wang,Xiaomei Li,Jin Shao,Juanhua Dou

doi:10.3390/ijerph110404528

Abstract

Background: With the influx of rural migrants into urban areas, the spread of HIV has increased significantly in Shaanxi Province (China). Migrant workers are at high risk of HIV infection due to social conditions and hardships (isolation, separation, marginalization, barriers to services, etc.). Objective: We explored the efficacy of a HIV/AIDS prevention and control program for rural migrants in Shaanxi Province, administered at both rural and urban sites. Methods: Guidance concerning HIV/AIDS prevention was given to the experimental group (266 migrants) for 1 year by the center of disease control, community health agencies and family planning department. The intervention was conducted according to the HIV/AIDS Prevention Management Manual for Rural Migrants. A control group of migrants only received general population intervention. The impact of the intervention was evaluated by administering HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitudes and sexual behavior (KAB) questionnaires after 6 and 12 months. Results: In the experimental group; 6 months of intervention achieved improvements in HIV/AIDS related knowledge. After 12 months; HIV/AIDS-related knowledge reached near maximal scores. Attitude and most behaviors scores were significantly improved. Moreover; the experimental group showed significant differences in HIV-AIDS knowledge; attitude and most behavior compared with the control group. Conclusions: The systematic long-term cross-site HIV/AIDS prevention in both rural and urban areas is a highly effective method to improve HIV/AIDS KAB among rural migrants.

Highlights

The prevalence of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in China is increasing each year, and the number of infected individuals reached 370,393 by the end of October 2010 [1]
The objective of the present study was to measure the efficacy of a HIV/AIDS prevention and control program for rural migrants in the Shaanxi Province
We explored the efficacy of a HIV/AIDS prevention and control program for rural migrants in the Shaanxi Province by analyzing the HIV/AIDS-related KAB variations resulting from interventions at both rural and urban sites

Summary

Introduction

The prevalence of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in China is increasing each year, and the number of infected individuals reached 370,393 by the end of October 2010 [1]. In China, about 80% of HIV-infected patients are from rural areas [3]. In. Shaanxi, an economically important province in Western China, the rate of HIV infection has been rapidly rising. With the influx of rural migrants into urban areas, the spread of HIV has increased significantly in Shaanxi Province (China). Objective: We explored the efficacy of a HIV/AIDS prevention and control program for rural migrants in Shaanxi Province, administered at both rural and urban sites. Methods: Guidance concerning HIV/AIDS prevention was given to the experimental group (266 migrants) for 1 year by the center of disease control, community health agencies and family planning department. The intervention was conducted according to the HIV/AIDS Prevention Management Manual for Rural Migrants. The impact of the intervention was evaluated by administering HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitudes and sexual behavior (KAB)

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion