HIV This Week

Lalonde B, Wolvaardt JE, Webb EM, Tournas-Hardt A. A process and outcomes evaluation of the international AIDS conference: who attends? Who benefits most? MedGenMed 2007;9:6.

The objective of the study was to conduct a process and outcomes evaluation of the International AIDS Conference (IAC). Reaction evaluation data are presented from a delegate survey distributed at the 2004 IAC held in Thailand. Input and output data from the Thailand IAC are compared to data from previous IACs to ascertain attendance and reaction trends, which delegates benefit most, and host country effects. Outcomes effectiveness data were collected via a survey and intercept interviews. Data suggest that the host country may significantly affect the number and quality of basic science IAC presentations, who attends, and who benefits most. Intended and executed HIV work-related behaviour change was assessed under 9 classifications. Delegates who attended 1 previous IAC were more likely to report behaviour changes than attendees who attended more than 1 previous IAC. The conference needs to be continually evaluated to elicit the required data to plan effective future IACs.

Editors’ note: For those of you who attended the Bangkok International AIDS Society Conference, were you a “behaviour changee”? Or were you just more used to being asked about your work-related HIV behaviour? If it takes three years to analyse the data then Mexico 2008 won’t benefit from the Toronto 2006 delegate survey. Find a way to channel your own views and advice for improvement while there is still time!