Explanation of Diffusion as it Relates to HIV/AIDS

The Diffusion of Effective Behavioral Interventions (DEBI) in the United States is a collaboration of efforts by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Center on AIDS and Community Health and the Academy for Education to coordinate research, information, education and quality medical treatment for HIV-positive individuals. The DEBI project successfully trained more than 10,000 providers in more than 5,000 agencies to help change the behavior of those who place themselves at risk for HIV infection.

Significance

• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that HIV incidence is changing. Babies born with AIDS decreased from 103 in 2002 to 67 in 2005. Babies born with AIDS peaked in 1992 at 894. The death rate from HIV/AIDS dropped from 5.3 in 100,000 in 1999 to 4.5 in 2004. The number of HIV-inflicted patients treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) increased from 61 percent in 1997 to 75 percent in 2004.

  In 1985, 70 percent of newly diagnosed AIDS cases were among men who have sex with men (MSM), 16 percent injected illegal drugs (IDU) and 10 percent were both MSM and IDUs. In 2005, 58 percent of new AIDS cases were MSM, 18 percent were IDUs, 16 percent were through heterosexual contact and 7 percent were both MSM and IDUs.

Life Long AIDS Alliance

• The Life Long AIDS Alliance, in a letter to President Barack Obama, reminded him that HIV/AIDS is a public health emergency with a new HIV infection every 9 ½ minutes. Half of those with HIV/AIDS are not receiving treatment. The letter continued with HIV prevention strategies that have reduced newly acquired HIV infections by hundreds of thousands. The letter requested coordination of federal agencies engaged in HIV prevention to meet the needs of gay men and intravenous drug users and to screen for HIV when screening for TB.

Function

• The Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) model, explained by George Washington University, is a process in which innovative new information and methods are spread (diffused) through communication channels to reach all members of a social system. An innovation is a change from existing methodology. Leaders cooperated with bilateral and international funding and private foundations to develop mass media, community education and a clinic infrastructure with trained doctors and nurses.

Behavioral Intervention for Gay Men

• Behavioral Intervention for Gay Men, with guidelines from the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), in an article titled "Mental Health Aids Biopsychosocial Update," outlines HIV prevention strategies for gay men beginning with understanding of risky sexual behavior. Intervention should be in groups focusing on gay men's life problems, victimization, discrimination and prejudice. HIV prevention should teach coping strategies and prevention efforts emphasizing reliance on avoidance and coping strategies to reduce risky behavior. Contextual factors that influence sexual behavior include relationship skills.

Diffusion in South Africa

• The University of Zululand described diffusion of HIV/AIDS information in South Africa through institutions of higher learning. The goal is to educate and enlighten, to assess the framework, nature and scope of response and interventions developed by institutions of higher learning in South Africa for prevention of pandemic. HIV/AIDS service providers, health centers and institutional libraries within all universities in South Africa responded. South Africa looked to the higher education sector to teach, learn, research and perform community service. HIV/AIDS is still silently denied with a stigma that many universities do not want to address. HIV/AIDS policies were finally implemented, and information is disseminated by the institutional libraries, HIV/AIDS service providers and health centers.