AIDS communications
AIDS communication draws on a number of different academic fields and is concerned with advocacy, behaviour change, social mobilisation and social change. It can address both issues that immediately impact on HIV and AIDS, such as a lack of knowledge of safer sex, and the driving causes of the epidemic, such as the gender relations obstructing safer sex practice. A key factor in effective AIDS communication is an understanding of audiences’ needs and circumstances. Much attention has been given to the importance of the social context of communication, including religious, economic and cultural factors. Practitioners are increasingly focusing on the creation of enabling AIDS communication environments through work with bodies such as the media and civil society organisations.
This guide outlines what is meant by AIDS communication and looks at how the field has evolved. It also reviews a range of different AIDS communication approaches and addresses some of the broader factors that impact on particular communications strategies
- Breaking barriers: effective communication for universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010
- This report from Panos argues that there is an urgent need to strengthen communication approaches in HIV prevention work, and in projects aimed at increasing access to HIV testing, treatment and care.
