Know Your Status (Hazte la Prueba)

PAHO/WHO's activities focus on supporting the communication efforts of governments and civil society in Latin America and the Caribbean to expand and strengthen HIV testing and counselling services, in accordance with the epidemiological situation in each country. Printed materials define one aspect of this effort to provide communication tools to boost the demand for these services in the countries, for facilitating their use, and/or for fostering their adaptation to the national context. Specifically, PAHO developed a regional guide [PDF]; it is described as "a conceptual, methodological, and operational tool that integrates the policies, recommendations, strategies, and recent technological advances at the global and regional level in the field of HIV testing and counseling services in Latin America and the Caribbean." This is a step-by-step guide for developing a communication strategy that also includes suggested communication tools - ranging from posters to tee-shirts and coffee mugs - as well as advice on planning, monitoring, and evaluation of campaigns. In a nutshell, the process is characterised by strategies to promote action on the part of people who engage in risky practices and/or who are more vulnerable to becoming infected with HIV (that is, for instance, to encourage the use and social normalisation of HIV testing and counselling (VCT) services).

To cite one example of the type of awareness campaign that organisers hope to guide through their efforts, El Salvador's National Program for Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV/AIDS mounted a US$600,000, 18-day campaign that, according to PAHO, "motivated more than 50,000 people to get tested — nearly three times the number of people tested, on average, in an entire month. Long lines of men, women, and young people began forming early at hospitals, clinics, and mobile health facilities throughout the country. Television, radio, and print media provided major coverage of the events."

One of the most key tools of this initiative is the "Know Your Status" brand. Created
by a young designer who won a national competition held by Brazil's Ministry of Health, this brand has been widely disseminated regionally in an effort to allow the public to easily identify the efforts to promote testing by states, municipalities, and civil society. The brand, which can serve as a launching point for the development of regional products that support all countries that adopt the brand, contains a smiley face and eyes consisting of "positive" and "negative" symbols. The brand can be used in elements of communication campaigns, such as posters, television spots, websites, and other media. Organisers stress that the use of this brand should always be accompanied by information or educational material that explains the importance of VCT services.

HIV/AIDS.

According to the "Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic 2006" (by UNAIDS [the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS]), in a 5-year period in more than 70 countries surveyed, the use of HIV testing and counselling services quadrupled. Formerly totaling 4 million in 2001, it reached 16.5 million in 2005. The PAHO report "Toward Universal Access to HIV Prevention, Care and Treatment: 3 by 5 Report for the Americas" (2006) found that in 2005, nearly 772,000 people learned their serological status in 15 Latin American and Caribbean countries. Amongst the factors that PAHO cites for this expansion are communications campaigns about the benefits of testing and counseling services, awareness of greater access to treatment, and decrease of stigma and discrimination. That said, according to PAHO, "global coverage of HIV testing and counseling services is unsatisfactory".

This initiative is guided by the conviction that communication activities promoting VCT services should focus on both individual and social changes. Organisers stress that, as part of this approach, attention during the planning phase of a campaign should be given to the epidemiological situation, sociocultural features, the response capacity of the health services, available resources, the legal framework for protecting human rights, and the standards for HIV prevention, treatment, and care.