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Disability and HIV & AIDS: Overview of evidence. Nora Groce, PhD Susan Girois, MD Strategic planning session The Africa Campaign on Disability and HIV & AIDS Cape Town, January 23-25, 2007. Overview. Background What do we know? What do we need to know? Conclusions. Background.
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Disability and HIV & AIDS:Overview of evidence Nora Groce, PhD Susan Girois, MD Strategic planning session The Africa Campaign on Disability and HIV & AIDS Cape Town, January 23-25, 2007
Overview • Background • What do we know? • What do we need to know? • Conclusions
Background • There is small but growing attention to the AIDS and Disability issue • The attention is so far disjointed because no forum exists that allows us to speak as a group to the AIDS community • There is lack of coherence in the messages and the approach
« I have been approached by a disabled person here or there, but it never occurred to me that this is a large group of people. »--Stephen Lewis, former UN Special Envoy for AIDS in Africa
Background (cont.) • Since 2003, increasing attention is being paid to disability links with AIDS • Most from the disability group • Response to the realization that people in this community are becoming infected and dying. • Disability leaders, health providers, therapists, sign language interpreters
What do we know? Persons with disabilities have less knowledge • MALAWI: Effective HIV/AIDS and Reproductive Health Information to People with Disabilities (Munthali, Mvula, Ali, 2004) • NIGERIA: Differences in HIV/AIDS Knowledge between Deaf and Hearing Populations (Groce, Yousafzai, Van Der Maas 2006)
Less knowledge • RWANDA and UGANDA: Situational analysis of HIV/AIDS of young people with disabilities (Yousafzai A and Edouards K 2004) • SWAZILAND: Knowledge, personal risk and experiences of HIV/AIDS among people with disabilities // Survey of HIV/AIDS Knowledge among a Deaf population in Swaziland (Groce, Yousafzai, Dlamini, Wirz 2003) • ZIMBABWE: Knowledge Attitudes and Practices about HIV & AIDS among visually impaired adolescents and young adults (Shava K)
At risk of HIV infection • TANZANIA (2005): Reproductive Health Needs of Visually Impaired Adolescents and pre-teens (UAFD) and Family Care International (CCBRT/CBM) • UGANDA (2006)Baseline survey on promotion of a disability perspective into Uganda’s National HIV/AIDS response (NUDIPU)
Vulnerable to sexual violence • ETHIOPIA: Baseline Survey on Sexual Violence against Persons with Disability in Kebele 01/02 of Yeka Sub City (Handicap International 2006)
Greater impact on FWD • TANZANIA: The Impact of HIV/AIDS on African society – on people with disabilities- and consequently on ‘rehabilitation’ (Vanneste G CCBRT/CBM) • ZIMBABWE: Participatory rapid assessment of the vulnerability, impact and coping mechanisms of Parents of Disabled Children on HIV & AIDS (Nganzi, Matrick, Matonhodzi (ZPHCA))
Disability community ill-equipped • ZIMBABWE: Participatory rapid assessment of the vulnerability, impact and coping mechanisms of the disabled people on HIV & AIDS (Nganzi, Matrick, Matonhodzi(ZPHCA))
Service providers ill-equipped • SOUTH AFRICA: Survey on AIDS and Adults with Intellectual Disabilities. Beliefs and practices on AIDS among service providers for Adults with intellectual disabilities (Tamar Levin) • “Staff values regarding the sexual expression of women with developmental disabilities” (Christian, Stinson, Dotson (2002)) • “Sexuality education for students who are deaf: current practices and concerns” (Getch, Young, Denny 1998)
Higher HIV prevalence (???) • TANZANIA: HIV Counseling and Testing Opportunity for 320 Parents of Children with Disabilities as part of the activities within CCBRT-CBR Programme in Dar es Salaam
Manuals, toolkits, guidelines • “Resource Manual for Disability and HIV/AIDS Training” (DPSA) • Manual for getting AIDS information to adolescents with disability (Rehabilitation International) • Community-based HIV international manual for DPI South Africa (DPI) • Guidelines for including Disability in National AIDS Programs (Groce)
Upcoming … Groce/WHO/ILO • What you need to know about HIV/AIDS: a guide for people with disabilities • Disabled people’s Organizations and the AIDS Epidemic: What DPOs can do to lead the fight against HIV/AIDS for persons with disabilities • HIV/AIDS and the Deaf Community • HIV/AIDS and People who are Blind or Vision Impaired • HIV/AIDS Information for people with Intellectual Disabilities and their friends and families
What do we need to know? • Sub-groups of disabled persons • Whether our trainings are effective • Persons with disability who are HIV+ • Programmatic issues • Consistency in language, privacy, competency, educating health professionals
CONCLUSIONS • Growing attention • We have a basic situation analysis • We now need to focus on effectiveness • Lagging attention to PWD who are HIV+