ABCs of HIV Prevention: Report of a USAID Technical Meeting On Behavior Change Approaches To Primary Prevention of HIV/AIDS

- from the Introduction

"On September 17, 2002, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) hosted a technical meeting inWashington, D.C., to consider behavior change approaches to HIV/AIDS prevention, sometimes referred to as the"ABCs" of primary prevention. More than 130 HIV/AIDS and reproductive health experts shared research findingsand lessons learned. The participants included representatives and researchers from UNAIDS, the World HealthOrganization, UNICEF, the United Nations Population Fund,the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID cooperating agencies, and U.S. and European universities.As Connie Carrino, Director of USAID's Office of HIV/AIDS, noted in her opening remarks, analyzing sexualbehaviors and behavioral changes - such as the "ABC" approaches of Abstinence/delay of sexual debut, Beingfaithful/partner reduction, and Condom use - is key to understanding and combating sexual transmission of HIV.

The meeting's objective was not to make new decisions or pursue consensus about ABC approaches but to examinewhat we know about what works from empirical evidence, reach a better understanding of why successful interventions work, and consider how to further use and apply that knowledge and understanding.

This report summarizes the meeting's presentations and discussions."

Click here for a PDF version of this report from the USAID site.