Intervention to train physicians in rural China on HIV/STI knowledge and risk reduction counseling: preliminary findings

AIDS Care. 2009 Apr;21(4):468-72. doi: 10.1080/09540120802290357.

Abstract

We evaluated an intervention to train physicians in rural China on knowledge of HIV/STI prevention, diagnosis, treatment options, and HIV/STI behavioral risk reduction counseling. This paper reports preliminary findings related to feasibility and acceptability of the program. Using a pre-post design, 69 physicians were recruited from rural county hospitals and participated in a 10-day group training program, followed by two months of clinical fieldwork and two additional weeks of training. Physicians completed baseline and six-month assessments. Patients' cohorts, recruited from clinic waiting areas of participating physicians, completed baseline and six-month HIV/STI risk assessments. Physicians reported increased knowledge of HIV biology and pathology, epidemiology, host immune response, opportunisitic infection and syndromic management, antiretroviral therapy, risk reduction counseling, and stigma reduction following the training. Patients reported improved knowledge of HIV, reduced HIV stigma, higher rates of HIV testing, and improved condom use at follow-up. The findings suggest that training physicians on HIV/STI-related knowledge and risk reduction counseling is a promising strategy for reducing HIV/STI epidemics in rural China.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • China
  • Counseling / education*
  • Education, Medical, Continuing*
  • HIV Infections / diagnosis
  • HIV Infections / prevention & control
  • HIV Infections / therapy
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Humans
  • Patient Education as Topic*
  • Risk Reduction Behavior*
  • Rural Health
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases / diagnosis
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases / prevention & control*
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases / therapy