World Aids Day of Federal University of Alagoas – Brazil (IFMSA-Brazil)

Name of the activity: World Aids Day of Federal University of Alagoas

Country/NMO: Brazil (IFMSA-Brazil)

Program: HIV/AIDS & Other STIs

Contact information: [email protected]

Type of the activity: Campaign

General description:

At the School Hospital, the action was divided into two groups. One group remained at the front door, approaching passers-by and the other group was to carry out activities with the mothers hospitalized in the maternity hospital.
At door, the approaches were easy and quiet. It was much greater openness to speak of the subject than in other places that the LC has already carried out actions on the subject. Despite welcoming and encouraging during the conversations in the HU, the people were very curious and willing to ask questions, share their personal experiences and accept material information and condoms distributed in the campaign (or even ask for more). For this Condoms (both male and female) were all distributed a few minutes before the end of the action. The materials information, lasted until the end, with few remaining members to be used in other actions.

Focus area:

Prevention of all STIs or are specific STIs, Removing stigmatization and empowering people living with HIV, STIs and HIV/AIDS political advocacy

Problem statement:

AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) in the world has been progressively vigorous in recent times. Today it is estimated that 33 million people live with this disease, with only Brazil, the number reached 842,710 cases
the year 2016. This number shows particularly significant growth
between 25 and 39 years of age with a according to the Brazilian epidemiological bulletin of 2016 and, according to studies, the prevalence is related to less access to adequate information on sexually transmitted diseases and their severity, more sexually transmitted diseases sexual partners and drug users.
Thus, a greater awareness of young people so that if they prevent themselves and even seek doctor. It is essential that access to information is easy and democratic so that all aspects and an active role in raising awareness of AIDS in a way that act with responsibility. When all measures preventive measures are adopted (male and female condom use, for exemple) it is possible to reduce the disease to less than 1%.
Health awareness actions on prevention of HIV transmission 2012,
when the Brazilian Ministry of Health agreed with the World Health Organization (WHO) goal 90-90-90. The goal is that by 2020, 90% of the population will be tested; 90% of those infected are on treatment and 90% have their viral load suppressed (do not transmit the virus).
Thus, medical students should become an important tool to raise awareness and alert the public about the risks and care that should be taken with this disease, as well as the breaking of taboos on this topic. Every opportunity should be taken to promote local HIV services, encourage education and dialogue with the community and advocate for the advancement of public policies, with local emphasis on the northeast city of Maceió, AL – Brazil.
In addition, the dissemination of the AIDS issue in a public environment is fundamental importance for stigma and discrimination barriers to be broken,
hope for new generations and the opportunity for new dialogues.

Target groups and beneficiaries:

Target audience of the campaign was composed of patients, employees and mothers of the maternity hospital of the School Hospital.

Objectives and indicators of success:

Main Objective

Promote health education, so that the general population can assume a more active stance in preventing the transmission of STIs and also stigmas and taboos that hinder the inclusion of people living with the virus.

Specific Objectives

I. To remove the academic from the omission of AIDS virus infections in his
community, bringing to it the interest and work focused on Public Health and
Prevention;
II. Develop an active attitude towards self-care
prevention of STIs.
III. Demystifying taboos and combating
prejudices against the population living with AIDS.

Methodology:

The training with an infectologist occurred on 11/21/17 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. with Prof. Dr. Fernando Maia, at the Dr. Helvio Auto School Hospital, as previously combined without intercurrences. Training with psychology professionals occurred on 11/23/17, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., with only the members initially in charge of the action in a local neighborhood. The materials used were picked up on 11/14/17 (advance in relation to the initial planning, done by security).
At School Hospital, the members were divided into 2 groups: one remained at the patient’s front door and another went to the maternity. The door group set up a simple structure to call the attention of the passers-by with the committee’s decorative material (acquired in others campaigns). After the structure was set up, some of the members went through the corridors the hospital actively approaching people on the spot and asking if they could talk a little about the topic. After a brief explanation of the points the central issues addressed in the training, it was asked if there was any doubt and the opinion on the importance and effectiveness of that type of action, in addition to offering condoms.
Other members remained in the structure to receive people who were going to get information and condoms. The group that was in charge of prepared a short presentation on the subject. How would mothers have lecture on the same theme in the morning, the format of the presentation was so that the mothers explained the points addressed to the participants and, from the of their explanation, corrections or additions were made. In this way, mothers would not be subjected to an activity equal to that of the morning of the same day, they would have an active participation and there would be the opportunity to consolidate knowledge. Before a brief meeting was held to stimulate mothers’ participate in that activity.

Plans for evaluation:

After and during the activity, statements about the effectiveness of the action would be collected for the evaluation.
The method chosen for impact assessment was qualitative. The choice was based on the structure of the action, so that passers-by were not questionnaire (since most were in the midst of other activities and most of the approaches and conversations took place standing). In this way, data analysis programs and statistics were not necessary.