Interventions to Prevent HIV Risk Behaviors
Consensus Development Statement: National Institutes of Health
February 11-13, 1997
Abstract
Objective | Participation
| Evidence | Consensus
Process | Conclusions
Objective
To provide health care providers, patients, and the general
public with a responsible assessment of behavioral intervention
methods that may reduce the risk of HIV infection.
Participants
A non-Federal, nonadvocate, 12-member panel representing the
fields of psychiatry, psychology, behavioral and social science,
social work, and epidemiology. In addition, 15 experts in
psychiatry, psychology, behavioral and social science, social
work, and epidemiology presented data to the panel and a
conference audience of 1,000.
Evidence
The literature was searched through Medline and an extensive
bibliography of references was provided to the panel and the
conference audience. Experts prepared abstracts with relevant
citations from the literature. Scientific evidence was given
precedence over clinical anecdotal experience.
Consensus Process
The panel, answering predefined questions, developed its
conclusions based on the scientific evidence presented in open
forum and the scientific literature. The panel composed a draft
statement that was read in its entirety and circulated to the
experts and the audience for comment. Thereafter, the panel
resolved conflicting recommendations and released a revised
statement at the end of the conference. The panel finalized the
revisions within a few weeks after the conference.
Conclusions
Behavioral interventions to reduce risk for HIV/AIDS are
effective and should be disseminated widely. Legislative
restriction on needle exchange programs must be lifted because
such legislation constitutes a major barrier to realizing the
potential of a powerful approach and exposes millions of people
to unnecessary risk. Legislative barriers that discourage
effective programs aimed at youth must be eliminated. Although
sexual abstinence is a desirable objective, programs must
include instruction on safer sex behaviors. The erosion of
funding for drug abuse treatment programs must be halted because
research data clearly show that such programs reduce risky drug
abuse behavior and often eliminate drug abuse itself. Finally,
new research must focus on emerging risk groups such as young
people, particularly those who are gay and who are members of
ethnic minority groups, and women, in whom transmission of HIV
virus to their children remains a major public health problem.
