In 2006, more than 250,000 people were living with HIV in the Caribbean, and 27,000 new infections were diagnosed. Higher prevalence rates are found only in sub-Saharan Africa, making the Caribbean the second-most affected region in the world. Approximately 80% of all HIV cases in the Caribbean are reported on the island of Hispaniola: home to the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Encouraging people to change their risk-taking behaviours and use condoms is a crucial step in stemming the spread of HIV. On behalf of KfW and PANCAP, Options manages CARISMA, a regional programme which encourages wider use of condoms and changes in behaviours that spread HIV. Targeted at particularly marginalised populations who are most at risk of transmitting and being infected with the virus, CARISMA uses social marketing to help increase condom use. Social marketing applies commercial marketing techniques to promote healthy behaviour change and motivate use of health products and services.

CARISMA is showing encouraging results. In 2006, condom sales, increased by 10% in the region. In the Eastern Caribbean an innovative behaviour change campaign "Got it? Get it"  is targeting the most high-risk sexually active sector of the population with a mass media campaign for TV, radio and print media, which highlights the risks of having sex without using a condom. Following its success in the Eastern Caribbean, the Got It? Get It campaign is being replicated in Belize. In the Dominican Republic a mini soap opera-series, "Amor de Batey", aimed at marginalised migrant populations (mainly Haitian), is airing on a national TV station, and highlights risky sexual behaviour that can lead to HIV and promotes consistent condom use.

 

Several of the programmes have used PEER, a participatory ethnographic evaluation research tool, to understand the behaviours and attitudes of target populations to improve communications. In Haiti, a PEER study was conducted among brothel based sex workers in Port au Prince, which focused on attitudes to condoms, and self-efficacy for both condom negotiation and use. The findings of this qualitative research have formed the basis of outreach communication and condom promotion activities targeting commercial sex workers with an emphasis on promoting female condoms. A recent PEER study was conducted among young women in inner-city Kingston, Jamaica, which looked at young women's relationships. The study sought to identify opportunities and barriers to behaviour change and to generate insight into condom use, HIV risk perceptions, and types of sexual relationships. This study has been used to shape a behaviour change communication strategy focused on increasing consistent condom use among those at risk.

CARISMA is a 6M Caribbean Community Secretariat (CARICOM) programme funded by German Bank (KfW) and Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

To learn more about CARISMA, go to the website at www.carisma-pancap.org (available in English, French and Spanish) or contact Christopher Brady  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Rachel Kirk This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .