Could television be a valuable tool in the fight against HIV? Who is most likely to watch television shows about AIDS? Researchers from Population Services International (PSI) investigated the impact of a soap opera dealing with AIDS in Côte d’Ivoire.

The show, broadcast weekly, is seen by a large number of people. Many of these are at risk from HIV. The show also reaches many poor people and those in rural areas, who have limited access to AIDS information. The researchers conclude that television can be an efficient way of providing HIV/AIDS information, especially when alternatives are lacking.

‘Sida dans la cité’ (SDLC) describes the life a family touched by AIDS. It is produced as part of a condom social marketing programme implemented by PSI, Côte d’Ivoire, and its local partner, ECODEV. The programme promotes condom use and condoms are sold at subsidised prices.

The most effective HIV prevention programmes are those that target high-risk groups. SDLC is designed to reach two main target populations:

• those at risk of contracting and transmitting the virus
• the poor who have less access to healthcare information and services.

The researchers investigated whether these target groups watch the show. Is the targeting efficient? Do only poor and high-risk people see the show, or are others watching too? They found that:

• Exposure to SDLC is very high. About 70 percent of urban people know about the programme and have seen at least one episode. Although rural populations have less access to television more than half of respondents have seen the show.
• Of the target groups, the show is more successful at reaching high-risk individuals than the poor. A large majority of viewers could be considered to be at risk.
• While a significant fraction of poor people watch the show, a large proportion of viewers are better-off.
• Over three-quarters of young people who are not yet sexually active have seen SDLC. So possible future high-risk groups are already being exposed to the programme.

Policy implications of these findings include:

• The potential role of television in HIV prevention should be recognised.
• Although many people in developing countries, particularly the poor, do not have access to electricity, television can still reach a large number of poor people.
• In rural areas served by electricity, television and radio are often the only significant sources of AIDS information. Hence, television can be an important element of a larger, more comprehensive HIV prevention strategy.

Source(s):
‘Target audience reach of the ‘Sida Dans La Cité’ AIDS prevention television series in Côte d’Ivoire’ by D. Shapiro and D. Meekers, Social Marketing Quarterly 6 (2001)
‘The reach of the ‘Sida dans la Cité’ AIDS prevention television series in Côte d’Ivoire’ by D. Shapiro and D. Meekers, PSI Research Division Working Paper 20, Population Services International, Washington D.C. (1999)

Funded by: PSI through core funds from the UK Department for International Development

id21 Research Highlight: 16 February 2001

Further Information:
Dominique Meekers
Population Services International
1120 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
USA

Tel: +1 202 728 4214
Fax: +1 202 785 0120
Contact the contributor: dmeekers@psiwash.org

Population Services International

Other related links:
Search the UNAIDS site for epidemiological data and other information.

UNDP also has information on HIV/AIDS.

Take a look at AIDS Action - a newsletter on AIDS prevention and care from Healthlink Worldwide.

The CDC National Prevention Information Network holds a wealth of HIV-related resources.