From the Back Cover
Best Evidence Structural Interventions for HIV Prevention
Rachel E. Golden, Charles B. Collins, Shayna D. Cunningham, Emily N. Newman, and Josefina J. Card
In the fourth decade of the HIV epidemic, the signs are both encouraging and alarming: fewer people are dying, and more people are living longer with the help of powerful antivirals, yet many areas of the world are seeing new cases on the rise.
Best Evidence Structural Interventions for HIV Prevention reports on successful HIV prevention initiatives from across the globe, representing countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas at diverse stages of the epidemic. Spotlighting major worldwide objectives--decreasing risks in IV drug use, commercial sex work, and non-commercial sexual activity and promoting HIV screening, voluntary counseling and testing (VCT), and antiretroviral therapy--these rigorously evaluated interventions are analyzed at individual and community levels. Chapters discuss issues regarding availability and accessibility of resources and populations' receptivity to change. And the authors examine related ethical challenges, including whether interventions should also target larger problems fueling the epidemic such as poverty and inequality. Among the programs featured:
- U.S.: Legal access to needles and syringes
- China: Needle social marketing
- Tanzania: Go with the Times, a radio soap opera
- Dominican Republic: Compromiso Collectivo for female sex workers
- France: Prenatal HIV screening
- South Africa: Drama-based intervention to promote VCT
These life-saving initiatives are worthy of wider recognition, making Best Evidence Structural Interventions for HIV Prevention a superior reference for graduate students and researchers in public health, HIV/AIDS prevention, and health policy. Policymakers and plannerswill also find these ideas of great importance.
Rachel E. Golden, Dr.P.H., M.P.H. joined Sociometrics Corporation in 2010 as a Senior Research Associate. In her role, Dr. Golden examines and compares HIV/AIDS prevention programs and focuses on the development and evaluation of health promotion projects and program replication for diverse populations. In addition, she is Vice Chair of Sociometrics' IRB. Before coming to Sociometrics, Dr. Golden worked for the Los Angeles County (LAC) Department of Public Health, where she oversaw the LA Health Overview of a Pregnancy Event Project, focusing on fetal and infant mortality. She also supported the LAC Action Learning Collaborative Partnership to Eliminate Disparities in Infant Mortality, and assisted the LA Mothers and Babies Project. Prior to that she served as a grant-writer and program evaluator for the Rescatando Salud/Health Rescue Promotora Project, housed in the LAC Department of Health Services.
Charles B Collins, Jr. Ph.D. is the Team Leader of the Science Application Team, Capacity Building Branch, National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. His team of scientists is responsible for the dissemination of evidence-based behavioral interventions into HIV prevention practice. His team is working with 26 evidence-based interventions designated as having the highest evidence of efficacy for HIV prevention. Over the last 8 years, these interventions have been disseminated to over 3900 community-based prevention agencies; to over 900 city, county, and state health departments; and to over 1100 medical clinics.
