HEALTH EDUCATION INTERVENTION ON HIV/AIDS AMONG THE URBAN SLUM DWELLERS OF DIBRUGARH, ASSAM

BACKGROUNDS: HIV/AIDS has become the most challenging as well as dreaded phenomenon in the global epidemiological transition and has become truly universal threat to civilization. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of Information, Education & Communication (IEC) on Knowledge, Attitude & Practice (KAP) on HIV/AIDS among the slum dwellers of Dibrugarh using the standard IEC package for urban slums formulated by the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO). METHODS: A total of 246 slum dwellers aged 15-49 years were selected from all the slums of Dibrugarh by stratified systematic random sampling method. The study was conducted in three stages. First a baseline KAP survey on HIV/AIDS was done followed by health education intervention (IEC). Just after the intervention and after three months period, the evaluation of the intervention was conducted. RESULTS: 87% of the respondents were found to have heard of HIV/AIDS. Baseline Knowledge regarding prevention of transmission of HIV/AIDS by having one faithful sex partner was there among 65% of the respondents which increased amongst 82.2% of the respondents just after the intervention & amongst 68.5% of the respondents after three months period; similarly knowledge of prevention by using condom, increased from 70.7% to 80.3% & 76.3% of the respondents; using safe blood, increased from 57.7% to 75.4% & 62.9% of the respondents. CONCLUSIONS: From the above findings it was evident that, intervention programs were useful in enhancing the awareness regarding HIV/AIDS among the underprivileged population.