AIDSTAR-One technical briefs provide syntheses and systematic reviews of core programmatic components designed to help address the information needs of program planners to design and implement HIV service delivery activities. Technical briefs also contain links to resources that planners and managers can use in their day-to-day work.
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Early Childhood Development for OVC—Key Considerations
Research shows that early childhood development (ECD) is critical to both mental and physical health later in life. However, programming targeting orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) is almost exclusively focused on school-aged OVC, and only rarely are very young children included in program activities. This technical brief, aimed at program planners and implementers, highlights the benefits of ECD interventions and outlines essential elements of ECD programming targeted towards OVC.
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MSM & HIV in the Anglophone Caribbean—A Situation Review
Although only 4 of the 12 Anglophone Caribbean countries publicly collect HIV prevalence data among men who have sex with men (MSM), in Jamaica, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago, researchers report an HIV prevalence of more than 20 percent among MSM. Moreover, a notable lack of human rights protection in the Anglophone Caribbean impedes efforts to improve the health of MSM. This technical brief provides basic information about HIV programming for MSM in the Anglophone Caribbean and reviews programming opportunities and resources for regional and local organizations involved.
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Integrating PMTCT of HIV Interventions with MNCH Services
HIV presents an increasing risk to pregnant women, their infants, and their families. In response, governments are looking to the integration of two services traditionally provided separately: maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) and prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV. Potential benefits to system-wide integration of these inherently linked services include improving access to care and addressing maternal HIV rates. This technical brief reviews clinical and programmatic considerations, as well as challenges, of reorienting health systems to include PMTCT interventions within the full continuum of existing public, private, and community-based women and newborn health services.
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Integrating Gender into Programs for Most-At-Risk Populations
Gender inequity is a fundamental driver in the HIV epidemic, and integrating strategies to address gender inequity and change harmful gender norms is an increasingly important component of HIV programs. Integrating gender strategies into programs targeting most-at-risk populations (MARPs) which include men who have sex with men, transgender people, injecting drug users, and male, female and transgender sex workers, whether in mixed or concentrated epidemic countries is much less prevalent. The purpose of this Technical Brief is to provide program managers and planners with an overview of the recent research literature on gender-related constraints effecting MARPs, future program approaches, and gender-related challenges that should be considered in programs to reduce HIV risk among MARPs.
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Microfinance, HIV, and Women's Empowerment
While gender, poverty, and gender-based violence alone do not define HIV risk, they increase women's vulnerability. Gender-responsive economic empowerment/strengthening activities give women access to and control over vital economic resources, which ultimately enhance their ability to mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS and reduce their vulnerability to HIV. With an increased focus on addressing the deeper structural and economic realities that limit the scope and impact of current HIV prevention activities, this technical brief offers HIV/AIDS field staff and program managers essential information on approaches to economic development—collectively known as economic empowerment or economic strengthening.
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Decentralizing Antiretroviral Treatment Services at Primary Health Care Facilities
Many countries have begun to decentralize HIV treatment to primary health care (PHC) centers to decrease the burden of providing HIV services at existing facilities while increasing access to treatment. The purpose of this technical brief is to assist national program planners, stakeholders, and implementers in designing, planning, and implementing the decentralization process and in providing ART services at PHC facilities, with the ultimate goal of achieving universal access to treatment and care in generalized HIV epidemic settings.
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Gender-Based Violence and HIV
Gender-based violence (GBV) is a major problem throughout the world, and reducing GBV is one of the five gender strategies promoted through the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. This brief will assist HIV program planners and implementers in designing, planning, and implementing activities that integrate GBV and HIV prevention, treatment and care, and support programs.
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Adult Adherence to Treatment and Retention in Care
Adherence to treatment (particularly ART) and retention in care are necessary to optimize clinical outcomes in people living with HIV. This brief addresses both aspects of adherence in adult patients and provides programmers with guidance on strategies for strengthening efforts to promote adherence to ART and retention in care.
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Prevention of Alcohol-Related HIV Risk Behavior
A growing body of research suggests that alcohol consumption is associated with the sexual behaviors that put people at risk for HIV. This brief catalogs what is known about the relationship between harmful alcohol use and HIV sexual risk behavior and offers a critical analysis of interventions to address the issue.
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Mental Health and HIV
Mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression, cognitive impairment, and substance abuse are often undetected and under-treated in people living with HIV (PLWH). This technical brief highlights the key mental health issues in the continuum of HIV care and reviews promising programmatic practices for addressing these issues in resource-limited countries.
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HIV Prevention for Sero-discordant Couples
HIV serodiscordant couples, in which one partner is HIV-positive and the other is HIV-negative, are increasingly recognized as a priority for HIV prevention in developing countries. Written to assist program planners and implementers, this technical brief provides a summary of effective and promising prevention interventions for serodiscordant heterosexual couples.
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Private Sector Involvement in HIV Service Provision
Private health practitioners are often overlooked in HIV service provision efforts. This technical brief presents a sampling of promising practices that leverage the private health care sector in resource-constrained settings. It is intended to be a tool for implementers to who want to engage the private sector in health initiatives.
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2008 World Health Organization's (WHO) Pediatric HIV Treatment Guidelines
This technical brief describes WHO recommendations for pediatric HIV treatment and provides links to useful resources for HIV/AIDS program implementers. This brief does not include outcomes from the November 2009 guideline revisions. For the most recent WHO HIV treatment tools, visit the World Health Organization.
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