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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 1(2)

Evaluation of an ethnic media campaign on patterns of HIV testing among people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in Australia

Tadgh McMahon A , Christopher K. Fairley B , Basil Donovan C , Lilian Wan D and John Quin E
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Multicultural HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C Service, PO Box M139, Missenden Road, NSW 2050, Australia; author for correspondence; email: mcmaht@email.cs.nsw.gov.au

B Department of Public Health, University of Melbourne; and Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, 580 Swanston Street, Carlton, Vic.3053, Australia.

C Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Sydney; and Sydney Sexual Health Centre, GPO Box 1614, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia.

D Public Health Officer Training Program, NSW Health, c/o PO Box M139, Missenden Road, NSW 2050, Australia.

E Liverpool Sexual Health Centre, Locked Bag 7103, Liverpool BC, NSW 1871, Australia.

Sexual Health 1(2) 91-94 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH03001
Submitted: 11 August 2003  Accepted: 9 February 2004   Published: 24 June 2004

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate a 2-week pilot ethnic media campaign that was implemented in 14 languages to promote awareness of HIV/AIDS and HIV testing among selected non-English speaking populations in Australia in November/ December 2000. Methods: The main outcome measure was clinic attendances for the purpose of HIV testing by individuals from the target populations at one of three public sexual health clinics in Sydney and Melbourne prior to and immediately after the campaign. Results: The number of HIV tests on members of the 14 target language communities attending the clinics almost doubled from 66 to 122 tests. However, as a proportion of the total number of HIV tests performed at the three clinics this increase was not significant (16.3% to 18.8%; P = 0.31). For both periods in 2000 the proportion of HIV tests that were performed on members of the target language group were higher than during a 1999 comparison period (10.5%, both P < 0.01). Conclusions and implications: This study did not demonstrate a significant increase in testing attributable to the pilot intervention. A larger campaign, with a more extensive evaluation, would probably be needed to demonstrate a measurable effect.


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