An Evaluation Study For Preventing HIV/AIDS In Road Construction Sites In Yunnan Province

Many developing countries' experiences indicated that if does not carry on the effective prevention and control,the disease especially the sexually transmitted diseases(STDs)and HIV/AIDS will be spresding,while the highway and other large-scale infrastructural facilities are in building.This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections(STIs)prevention program (Technical Assistance-4142-PRC,"TA")on Baolong highway in Yunnan Province, and monitor outcome measures such as changes in knowledge,attitude and behaviours of the groups targeted by the TA with prevention activities.Pre-post quasi-experimental study design was employed in this study.Behavioural surveillance survey(BSS),a powerful monitoring and evaluation approach,was designed to track trends in STIs/HIV/AIDS-related knowledge,attitudes and behaviours in mostly-risky population,consisting of repeated cross-sectional surveys. Based on the social stratification theory,BBS focused on five population groups in the road construction sites:project office workers,foremen,skilled workers,unskilled workers and drivers.In addition,to assess the "net" impact of TA's effort,a control study was carefully designed and undertaken on Tengmin road,and the same Pre-post study methods and tools were also employed.Population-based behavioural surveillance survey approaches were applied both at baseline in August,2005 and at follow-up in August,2006.The major findings:(1)The needs for HIV-prevention in the rural communities along road construction sites in Yunnan were high;(2)Different groups of people in the road construction sites have been different STIs/HIV/AIDS vulnerabilities;(3)The TA project has produced an encouraging effect on HIV-prevention,in terms of STIs/HIV/AIDS knowledge dissemination and reduction of risk behaviour;(4) Increasing the coverage of and improving access to interventions supported by the TA are of critical importance to reduce STIs/HIV/AIDS vulnerability.It was suggested that greater efforts are still needed for changing incorrect beliefs about HIV/AIDS transmission,and reducing the STIs/HIV/AIDS high risk behaviors in different target subgroups.