Factors affecting information and education, and behaviour change

Abstract

This article reviews papers presented at the 7th International Conference on AIDS in Florence which reflected the theme of the relationship between knowledge and behavior change. Many of the cases presented were descriptive and lacked rigorous hypothesis testing, but were in the direction of smaller scale hypothesis testing. Abstracts MD4041, 4069, and 4045 reported a lack of a relationship between good knowledge and behavior change among South African university students, English STD clinic attenders, and California family planning (FP) clinic clients. Neither perception nor lack thereof of risk related to behavior change. Abstracts MD4049 and 4053 identified factors which may be related to translating risk perception to behavior change: presence of a permanent relationship among gay men, and self affirmation among gay men. Among injecting drug users, other risk factors were low socioeconomic status (MD 4035), lack of self efficacy among men (MD4031) and women (MD4077), machismo (MDMD4007), nitrites, cannabis, and alcohol (MD4071), and education level MD4085). Social skills and self efficacy were repeatedly the more important intervening variables. Education and skill building intervention (MD4135) were related to increased skills in prevention of risky sexual and drug behavior among California high school students. Counseling interventions were difficult to assess in terms of behavior impact (MD 4281, 4026, 4203). Associations rather than causal links were found in many studies (WD1,4,4130). In 1 study the stage of readiness to stop high risk behavior was a critical component of self efficacy. Some studies found behavior changes over time that were inconsistent or incomplete but were unable to explain why. MD4039 found that the number of salient messages was related to prevention behaviors. WD4275 found the AIDS education has short term effects only on attitudes and knowledge. WD4102 found no correlation between knowledge or attitudes prediscussion, post, or 3 months later. WD4111 found no relation after safe sex workshop stressing condom use. WD4123 compared multiple and intensive interventions and found reduction in risky sexual behavior. Risk reduction with seropositive HIV clients was effective in short term sexual behavior changes (WD4050). Health workers needed retraining and supervision (WD4031).