PCP HIV AIDS Toolkit/Education & Prevention Seminar

HIV/AIDS Education and Prevention Seminar
Conducted by Whitney Schlotzhauer and Annie Huang

Time: 1 - 2 hours

Materials: Flip Chart visual aid, unopened condoms, list of myths

Objectives: By the end of the seminar, participants will be able to:
 * 1) Identify common myths and facts relating to HIV and AIDS
 * 2) Define and distinguish between HIV and AIDS
 * 3) Identify fluids and modes of transmission for HIV
 * 4) Identify and explain 5 preventative measures of transmitting HIV
 * 5) Correctly know how to use a condom
 * 6) Understand how HIV is transmitted, the consequences and ways of prevention

Introduction

 * Begin by introducing yourselves.
 * Introduce topic of discussion and ask participants what they know about HIV and/or AIDS.
 * If time allows, you can break the participants up into groups. Giving them manila paper and markers have them write out
 * What we know about HIV and AIDS.
 * What we Do Not know about HIV and AIDS
 * Collect each group's paper and briefly discuss.
 * This should catch attention, stimulate conversation and give you, as facilitators, an idea of what participants already know and important information to cover during your seminar.

First Activity - Myth or Fact
(This activity helps to learn how much students already know about HIV/AIDS).

Designate an area in the room for statements that are facts and statements that are myths. Instruct students to move to the appropriate area after the statement is read to the group by the facilitator. Briefly discuss why the statement is true or false.

If the group size is too large or the venue is not conducive for participants to move around, have students stand if a statement is true and sit for false (myth) statements.

Choose according to time allotment and previous knowledge of participates which statements to use.

List of Myths and Facts:

Myths:
 * 1) It is better NOT to find out if you have AIDS, since there is no cure.
 * 2) You can tell someone has HIV by looking at them.
 * 3) Taking oral contraceptives, or birth control pills, can protect a woman from getting HIV.
 * 4) If everything feels OK after sexual intercourse, you can NOT have HIV.
 * 5) You can get HIV from an insect bite (lamok, ipis, bed bugs).
 * 6) It is dangerous to touch people with HIV/AIDS.
 * 7) Doctors and religious leaders in our country have cured AIDS.
 * 8) There are no AIDS cases in the Philippines.
 * 9) One gets HIV/AIDS because they are immoral.
 * 10) A person can get HIV from sitting next to a person who has it.
 * 11) You can get HIV by using a phone which was just used by someone with HIV or AIDS.
 * 12) You can get HIV if a person with HIV or AIDS coughs or sneezes near you.
 * 13) You can get HIV from a toilet seat.
 * 14) If you kiss a person with AIDS you can catch the virus.
 * 15) You can get HIV by drinking from the same glass as a person who has it.
 * 16) You can get HIV from swimming pools‚Äîswimming in the same pool as a person with HIV or AIDS.
 * 17) You are likely to get HIV if you sleep in the same bed as someone with HIV/AIDS without having sexual intercourse.
 * 18) You can get HIV by hugging a person who has it.
 * 19) You can contract HIV from getting a manicure and/or pedicure.
 * 20) Brothers and sisters of children with AIDS usually also get AIDS.
 * 21) Extra virgin coconut oil can cure HIV.
 * 22) Antibiotics provide protection from HIV.
 * 23) The majority of people living with HIV are gay men.
 * 24) If everything feels ok after sex, you do not have HIV
 * 25) Your sexual partner only needs to get tested if you do not know him or her that well.

Facts:
 * 1) The only way to know if someone has HIV is a blood test.
 * 2) A mother can pass HIV to her baby.
 * 3) Using a condom can help protect you from the transmission of HIV.
 * 4) In the Philippines, around 12,000 people have reported HIV infection.
 * 5) There are medicines that can slow the progression of AIDS.
 * 6) You can get HIV or AIDS the first time that you have sexual intercourse.
 * 7) 42 million people in the world are living with AIDS.
 * 8) HIV/AIDS affects people of ALL races, sexual orientation and genders.
 * 9) There is NO cure for AIDS.
 * 10) HIV is NOT spread through hugging, kissing, or holding hands.
 * 11) A person who looks and feels healthy may still have HIV.
 * 12) Men with HIV may sexually transmit it to women.
 * 13) You can get HIV by having oral sex with a man who has it.
 * 14) Persons who have sex with many different people are at risk of getting HIV.
 * 15) You can get HIV by having sexual intercourse with an infected person.

Second Activity: 5 Things To Know About HIV/AIDS
Discussion and Lecture - Use flip chart for visual assistance and to stimulate discussion. The flip chart contains the following pages:


 * Title Page: HIV 101 - 5 Things To Know About HIV/AIDS
 * Page 1: Virus that Causes AIDS
 * H - Human
 * I - Immuno
 * V - Virus


 * A - Acquired
 * A - Acquired


 * I - Immuno


 * D - Deficiency


 * S - Syndrome
 * Page 2: Conditions Associated
 * HIV Positive
 * AIDS condition


 * Page 3: Modes of Transmission
 * Unprotected Penetrative Sexual Intercourse
 * Blood Contact
 * Vertical Transmission (mother to baby)


 * Page 4: Body Fluids that Contain HIV
 * Semen
 * Vaginal Secretions
 * Blood
 * Breast Milk


 * Page 5: 5 Ways of Prevention
 * Abstinence
 * Be faithful to one uninfected partner
 * Condom use (Demonstration of how to correctly use a condom)
 * Delay sexual intercourse, do NOT do drugs, seek detection in donated blood
 * Educate yourself and others, get tested (early detection).

With each page, encourage discussion and share more detailed information about HIV/AIDS.

Third Activity: Wildfire
Purpose of Activity - This activity will demonstrate the transmission and also the prevention of HIV/AIDS. If conducted at the end of the seminar, it will allow the participants to apply knowledge gained from the seminar.


 * Have participants form a large circle. (Depending on space participants may arrange their chairs in a circle, or just stand in a large circle. Give them time to arrange themselves in a circle.)
 * This circle represents our private island of ________. We are the only people that live on this island. We all live together in harmony on our small, isolated island. Some people on our island also enjoy having sex. On our island the symbol for having sex is shaking hands. If you shake hands with another person on our island that means you had sex with that person. (Facilitators should shake hands to demonstrate.)
 * Right now you may all walk around the island and have sex, or shake hands with up to 3 other people. Go! Enjoy!
 * (Give the participants time to walk around and shake hands, after a few minutes ask them to return to the circle.)
 * So, how was it? How are you feeling? Did you enjoy the sex? At this time I would like everyone on our island to please close your eyes. No peeking, just close your eyes. (At this time one of the facilitators will walk around and tap or squeeze the shoulder about 1/10th of the participants while the speaking facilitator continues to talk) With your eyes closed and not saying anything, _____ will walk around and tap your shoulder; please don‚Äôt make a sound and keep your eyes closed. 
 * ( One facilitator should walk around the circle and squeeze 10% of the participants on the shoulder while other makes sure no one is peeking or cheating)
 * Ok, you may open your eyes. Don‚Äôt say anything or tell anyone if you were tapped. This time when you are shaking hands the people tapped on the shoulder will scratch the hands of those they shake hands with. It will just be a little secret scratch. ONLY those originally tapped people will scratch. (Facilitator should demonstrate the secret scratch) Ok, you may walk around and have sex with up to 3 people again. Go! Enjoy!
 * (Give the participants time to walk around and shake hands, after a few minutes ask them to return to the circle.)
 * So, how was it? How are you feeling now? Well, while your eyes were closed ________ moved to our island and tapped on the shoulder/or had sex with different community members. _______ is HIV positive and did not use protection! At this time I would like the original people whose shoulders were tapped to stand or come to the center of the circle. These were the people on our island who were infected with HIV. Now, please stand/come to the center of the circle if you shook hands or ‚Äúhad sex‚Äù with any of these people. (Facilitator should count the number of people in the center of the circle and announce how many people on our island are now infected with HIV.)
 * Wow! That‚Äôs a lot of people. Why did you shake hands with these people? Did you know they had HIV? Why couldn‚Äôt you tell? How do these people look? Can you tell they are sick? Did you ask if they had HIV or other STIs? (Lead the participants to the conclusion that it is impossible to tell by just looking at someone if they have an STI. Make the point that people with HIV can look just like us. Healthy, handsome and pretty, but that doesn‚Äôt mean that they really are healthy. Talk about the importance of communication, asking your partner about their history and also being tested if you have had unprotected sex.)
 * Ok, please return to the circle. Those people are now healthy again. Please close your eyes and I will choose new people to be infected with HIV. Keep your eyes closed as I walk around. (Facilitator should walk around the circle and squeeze different people on the shoulder) Ok, you may open your eyes. This time you may walk around and have sex with up to 3 people again. The people squeezed on the shoulder will scratch their partners as they pass HIV along. This time if you are scratched by one of these people, the next time you shake hands you should scratch that person as well to pass it along. (Facilitator should demonstrate by shaking three people‚Äôs hands)
 * So this time, if your hand is scratched and you shake someone else‚Äôs hand you will pass along the infection. Ready? Go, ‚Äúhave sex‚Äù! Enjoy!
 * (Give the participants time to walk around and shake hands, after a few minutes ask them to return to the circle.) So, how was it? How are you feeling now? At this time I would like the original people whose shoulders I squeezed to come to the center of the circle. These were the people on our island who were infected with HIV. Now, please come to the center of the circle if shook hands or ‚Äúhad sex‚Äù with any of these people. Now please come to the center if you shook hands or ‚Äúhad sex‚Äù with any of these people. (At this time most of the participant will probably be at the center of the circle)
 * Wow! What happened to our island? How did this happen? Why did you shake hands with these people? 
 * Didn‚Äôt any of you use a condom? Raise your hand if you used a condom! (If no one raises his or her hand the facilitator should demonstrate using a condom by covering her hand with her shirt or scarf to signify using a condom.) If no one on our island uses a condom and we continue to have sex, what will happen? (The whole island will become infected!) What about abstinence? Did anyone choose not to shake hands? If we want our island to be healthy we have to stop having sex or we have to use condoms! Remember HIV is preventable! You have the power to choose abstinence or to at least choose to wear a condom to protect yourself and your partner. 
 * Please return to the circle. Close your eyes one more time and I will choose three new people on our island to be infected with HIV. Keep your eyes closed please. (Facilitator should walk around the circle and squeeze 3 people on the shoulder) Ok, you may open your eyes. This time you may walk around and have sex with up to 3 people again. And again, if you are scratched, you should pass along the scratch to the next person. But remember, you have the power to protect yourself. (Give the participants time to walk around and shake hands, after a few minutes ask them to return to the circle.) 
 * So, how was it? How are you feeling now? At this time I would like the three original people whose shoulders were squeezed to come to the center of the circle. These were the three people on our island who were infected with HIV. Now, please come to the center of the circle if shook hands or ‚Äúhad sex‚Äù with any of these three people. Now please come to the center if you shook hands or ‚Äúhad sex‚Äù with any of these people.
 * The goal for the end of the game is to have only the original tapped participants standing, no one newly infected, signifying the participants‚Äô knowledge and use of prevention and protection. At the end of the last round, clap together as a group for protecting themselves. Ask them how they prevented HIV? Talk about how HIV can spread very quickly and be very dangerous, but also how it is preventable with education! If people know how to protect themselves they can prevent this infection from spreading in their communities.)

**** For this seminar the facilitators had prepared red ribbons to symbolize HIV/AIDS awareness and passed these out to students who contributed to discussions and all students at the end