The full name of this study is "Stigma reduction and behavioural risk reduction interventions among people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) who are aware of their status". It was funded by DFID, DGIS and CIDA.

The study initially started in the SADC region (Botswana, Lesotho, South Africa and Swaziland) and  expanded to include Kenya, Rwanda, Burkina Faso and Senegal. It aimed to adapt and test the effectiveness of two US-developed behavioural risk reduction interventions directed at PLWHA who are aware of their HIV-positive status. The two intervention strategies developed were: ‘Healthy Relationships’ and ‘Options for Health’. To date, formative and baseline survey research has been done in the four Sub-Saharan African countries and seven of the draft reports which will form part of the eight-country report are nearly completed.

For more information on the project, read chapter 2 of Exploring the challenges of HIV/AIDS. 

Publications:

• Simbayi, L.C., Kalichman, S.C., Strebel, A., Cloete, A., Henda, N., & Nqeketo, A., (2007). Disclosure of HIV Status to Sex Partners and Sexual Risk Behaviors among HIV Positive Men and Women in Cape Town, South Africa. Sexually Transmitted Infections, 83(1), 29-34.
• Simbayi, L.C., Kalichman, S. C., Strebel A., Cloete, A., Henda, N., Nqeketo, A., (2007). Internalized stigma, discrimination, and depression among men and women living with HIV/AIDS, Cape Town, South Africa. Social Science and Medicine. 64(9), 1823-1831.
• Cloete, A., Simbayi, L.C., Kalichman, S.C. Strebel, A., & Henda, N. Stigma and Discrimination experiences of HIV positive men who have sex with men in Cape Town, South Africa. AIDS Care. In press.