Table 1 Intervention characteristics
From: An exploratory review of HIV prevention mass media campaigns targeting men who have sex with men
Study | Intervention | Theoretical framework | Formative work | Setting | Location of delivery | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hecht et al. [14] | “Are you Iffy?” a social marketing campaign to encourage MSM to reassess their HIV-negative status. 140 posters, 7 billboards and 10 newspaper ads | Health belief Model | Focus groups and community field-testing | San Francisco, USA | Bars/clubs, toilets, subways, bus terminals and newspaper kiosks | HIV negative MSM |
Hilliam et al. [21]* | “HIV Wake-Up Campaign” to provide information on HIV, benefits of prevention and regular testing and where to get further advice. Posters, web adverts and dedicated website, complemented with small print media, i.e. leaflets | Not stated | Not stated | Scotland | Internet | MSM and non-HIV specialist professionals |
Not stated where print media distributed | ||||||
16 mass media adverts placed in press, on websites and as posters, complemented with small media, such knik-knaks | Not stated | 2007: Themes for interventions identified in meetings with partners. Pre-testing with focus groups. | UK | National and regional press and where appropriate national HIV positive press. Posters in gay bars, saunas and clubs | MSM | |
Adverts and their aims (number of images, launch date, display costs): | ||||||
Assume nothing (4 images, July 1997, £73,000) | London underground | |||||
Think, Talk, Time Test (3 images, Jan. 1998, £67,000) | ||||||
What am I?.. See to it. (1 (1 image, July 1998, £70,000) | ||||||
What on Your Mind? (1 image, Jan. 1999, £70,000) | ||||||
Homophobia – (1 image in gay media, Oct 1999; £4,934; 3 images in general media, Aug 1999, £74,616) | ||||||
Better of knowing – (5 images, Feb 2000; £52,254) | ||||||
Facts for life – to provide information on HIV risks (9 images, Sept 2000, £39, 808; Jan 2003) | ||||||
In two minds - to illustrate dilemmas between “thoughts connected to the head (relating to risk reduction) and with the cock/crotch (less rational…)” (10 images, Nov. 2000; £31,114) | ||||||
Just unbelievable - to highlight the presumption that all HIV positive partners will disclose their status (3 images, Oct 2001, £20, 252) | ||||||
Clever Dick - to promote condom use (5 images, March 2002, £22,046) | ||||||
Biology of transmission – to increase awareness of rectum’s and anus’s fragility and absorbency (3 images, Oct 2002, £20,661) | ||||||
Think again – to show divergent thoughts and concerns about HIV transmission and exposure (6 images, Nov 2003, £20, 326) | ||||||
Infection situations – to illustrate possible adverse outcomes associated with sexual risks (5 images, April 2004, £24, 191) | ||||||
Be confident, be covered – to promote use of condoms (3 images, Feb 2005 £16,923) | ||||||
PEP – to increase knowledge of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and is availability after sexual exposure to HIV (1 image. June 2004 and July 2005, £9, 428) | ||||||
Closer – to increase awareness of local and national HIV prevalence and to get men to reconsider their HIV risk (6 images, Jan 2006, cost not reported) | ||||||
Roedling et al. [29] | A campaign to provide MSM with information about PEP and where it is available | Not stated | Not stated | London and Brighton, UK | Adverts placed in gay press and ‘other material’ | MSM |
Hartfield et al. [22]* | “It’s the Little Prick You Can Deal With” campaign to encourage MSM at high risk of HIV to have HIV test every 3 months. Gay-orientated websites, billboards, pavement chalk drawings, complemented with small print media and knick-knacks (e.g. coasters) | Not stated | Pre-testing with community members | Seattle, USA | Outside and inside gay bars and saunas | MSM at high risk of HIV infection, defined as those who have had unprotected sexual intercourse with a partner of unknown or discordant HIV status in last year |
Internet | ||||||
Katzman et al. [16] | “Community Manifesto” to identify sexual health issues and to promote positive sexual health for MSM | Not stated | Task force meetings with involvement from health agencies and community members | Seattle & King County, USA | Placed in 2 weekly Seattle papers, freely distributed. Also posted on a gay health web site in English and Spanish | MSM |
“Think Again” campaign (adapted from the US “Assumptions” campaign) to encourage men to challenge assumptions around partners’ HIV status. Ultimate goal to reduce unprotected anal intercourse between men of discordant HIV status and thereby reduce HIV incidence. Multi-media complemented with small print media and knick-knacks (e.g. coasters). Cost of campaign = $250,000 | Used social marketing concepts | 9 focus groups (47 participants) | Canada | National campaign - billboards, gay venues and Internet | HIV positive and HIV negative men having unprotected sexual intercourse with men whose HIV status is unknown to them | |
The TASC Agency [27]* | “Equal” campaign to promote safer sex, condom and lube use, and regular sexual health check ups. Posters | Not mentioned | Not mentioned | Scotland | Not mentioned | MSM aged 25-40 years |
McOwan et al. [9] | HIV testing campaign ‘gimme 5 minutes’ which ran between March-May 2000. ‘Peer’ images (different photos representing each of the target groups) with same accompanying text covering topics relating to pre-test discussions, making decision to test and information about testing services at the campaign clinic. Newspaper adverts and posers, complemented with small print media. Cost around £10,000 | Not mentioned | Not mentioned | London, UK | Full page advertisements in a free tabloid newspaper, 100 posters in Central London bars | MSM, particularly targeting men of Black and Southern European origin and men under 25-years-old |
Sherr et al. [17] | “Try this HIV test” campaign to encourage homosexual men to consider having an HIV test in light of recent advances in HIV treatments. | Not mentioned | Not mentioned | London, UK | Gay press | MSM |
Dawson & Hartfield [18] | Newspaper comic strip “Stella Seattle” “to clarify information about controversial transmission issues and to encourage HIV testing” | Not mentioned | Mention formative research was undertaken and focus groups set up to test first few comic strips were tested | Seattle, USA | Comic strip ran weekly for 4 months in 2 local newspapers with a large gay readership | MSM |
Campaign began Aug 1993. Cost $9,500 (included media placement of 15-episode strip, artist fees and staff time) | ||||||
Griffith et al. [19] | Statutory HIV educational campaigns, including television and radio. Early campaigns were general and latter ones were targeted to specific subpopulations, including gay and bisexual men. Of the 38 media interventions 6 aimed at gay men and 2 at bisexual men | Numerous media campaigns | Not mentioned | London, UK | Across TV, radio and gay press | Gay and bisexual men |
Multi-media |