Ways to Deliver HIV Education

There are various ways to deliver HIV education. These materials and methods can be utilized for education people. These ways include, booklets, radio & television street theatre comic strips, billboards, and so and so forth. These materials and method depend on the target group to whom you are going to educate. For delivering the education of HIV to the particular targeted group it is essential to know about what forms or methods or materials will be receptive for them. To know about this you will have to study the environment in which they are living. Moreover, you will have to decide that what media is suitable for them as well as easily accessible in that particular region.

However, HIV education is not only depended on the materials and methods but the principles of the program are also important. Sometime an education program is made for providing the information that will be remembered on long term basis. On the other hand some programs are made for immediate effects. For example if the program is for the people who may be included in the risky behavior i.e people who go in nightclubs, hotels and resorts then it should have the strategies that will help those people to restrain from such behavior.

Following elements should be taken into account before going to design the education program

• Age of people to whom the education will be delivered
• Are they literate?
• What language do they speak?
• Cultural issues i.e. attitude to sexuality
• Sexual awareness in people

Mass media

The mass media is one of the useful options for spreading out or delivering the HIV education. It has been studied that mass media has a large role in the awareness of the HIV infection. In 1980 the UK government delivered the leaflet to every household. Because the growing numbers of the new HIV infections in the country, a campaign was carried out. The slogan of the campaign was AIDS: Don't Die of Ignorance. It was the successful campaign that created awareness among people of the country. In short media had the lions' part in the campaign that was really a successful step taken by UK government.

Though the use of media was a successful triumph of UK government, but it is hard to measure the overall impact of the media. The purpose of any education aid has to create an impact beyond the general conceptions. The impact should be lasting for the long period of time. It should be curved on the minds of the people. It should have the power to change the conceptions of the people rather than to focus on the issue.

It may possible that HIV education may have the negative effect of developing the stigma and discrimination towards the HIV infected people. Some of the media messages create the fear regarding the consequences of HIV infections.

Peer education

A teacher is not the only element who can furnish the education, but the knowledge of HIV/Aids can be influenced by different people. They include friends, family, and the wider community. Peer education is provided by a person who can be directly a part of the group obtaining the information or who has a same social background.

Peer education is a method for those who do not like the formal education methods i.e. classroom environment. Moreover, peer educators receive the training on the subject so they can provide the accurate and reliable information regarding the subject.

Ways to deliver HIV education would help you to learn about the fundamental information regarding HIV/AIDS.