PHDP and GPV Prevention Programs for Soldiers in the Mozambican Armed Defense Forces
Abstract
Mozambique is one of 9 African countries that have been most severely impacted by the HIV epidemic (UNAIDS, 2009). Key drivers of Mozambique’s HIV epidemic are risky sexual behaviors, low rates of male circumcision, low and inconsistent condom use, mobility and migration, and commercial sex work. Other factors that have been associated with HIV transmission are gender inequality and gender-based violence (GBV). The goal of this project is to continue to work collaboratively with Mozambique Armed Defense Forces (FADM), Mozambique Ministry of Defense (MOD), Mozambique Ministry of Health (MOH), U.S. Embassy, DoD/DHAPP, and other partners on the continued development, implementation, evaluation, and wider dissemination of an evidence-based, multi-component project that addresses both PHDP (Positive Health, Dignity, and Prevention) and GBV prevention among FADM soldiers and their families. The present proposal continues the PHDP work that was started in 2006 by UCONN-Mozambique and conducted through last year at CICTRA-HMM in Maputo, Nampula Military Hospital, and Matacuane Medical Clinic in Sofala, and expands upon it to reach larger numbers of people living with HIV (PLWH) receiving care at these 3 facilities. The PHDP program, which was designed to reduce risky sexual behavior and increase ART adherence among PLWH who receive their care at FADM healthcare facilities, currently comprises HIV+ Peer Educator-led one-on-one counseling sessions, daily group health education classes in the hospital waiting areas, and 4-hour health literacy classes for newly diagnosed patients. UCONN-Mozambique proposes to expand this program by training healthcare providers in the provision of PHDP services. More specifically, healthcare providers will be trained to briefly assess and counsel patients’ regarding their PHDP needs and to work in close collaboration with the Peer Educators to ensure that patients’ needs are met. Additionally, there will be computer tablets available (at workstations) in the FADM hospitals in Maputo and Nampula with educational modules on them that the providers can prescribe for any of their patients who need additional health education and support. Lastly, the program will be expanded to include home visits by Peer Educators for patients who have been lost to follow-up, and couples counseling and testing to identify spouses of HIV+ patients who have not been recently tested for HIV and to get them in treatment if they test positive for HIV. The present proposal also continues and expands upon the gender-based violence (GBV) prevention work that was started by UCONN-Mozambique at the end of 2011 and is presently being implemented in Maputo, Nampula, and Sofala. The GBV prevention program currently comprises military Peer Educator-led GBV prevention classes in FADM training academies, multi-session group workshops, and one-on-one counseling sessions in the barracks, and a FADM-wide social marketing campaign. UCONN-Mozambique proposes to expand this program to 6 additional provinces: Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Manica, Niassa, Tete, and Zambézia. As part of this expansion, UCONN-Mozambique will produce an educational GBV prevention video using FADM soldiers that can be widely distributed throughout FADM. The impact of the PHDP and GBV programs are being evaluated for their effectiveness at changing relevant information, motivation, behavioral skills, and behavior among soldiers and civilians who participate in these programs. The ultimate goal is to create programs that effectively (1) support healthy behavior among people living with HIV so that they remain as healthy as possible and do not transmit HIV to others, and (2) reduce the incidence of GBV among soldiers in FADM. Throughout this next funding period, UCONN-Mozambique will work closely with FADM to provide them with the capacity to disseminate these two programs throughout Mozambique and to independently maintain them with minimal assistance from the U.S. team.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 09, 2016
- Source ID
- N002441510055
Entities
People
- Deborah Cornman
Organizations
- University of Connecticut