| Summary: | This study evaluates the effect of an Acquired Immune
Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) prevention program on the incidence
of gonorrhea among the enlisted men in the 105th Battalion of
the Honduran Army. The education program was initiated as a
result of the high incidence of AIDS in Honduras (more than
half of all of the known cases of AIDS in Central America are
in Honduras).
The AIDS prevention program for this battalion was
initiated in July, 1989 and consists of lectures, videos, and
printed materials concerning the nature of HIV/AIDS. The
program emphasized the use of condoms as a means of avoiding
infection: thus the incidence of gonorrhea would also be
expected to decrease as a result of the program. The program
is presented to new recruits as a portion of their three month
basic training in first aid and personal health. Although the
AIDS education program provided to the recruits entering the
105th Battalion is similar to that given to recruits entering
other battalions, in only the 105th is the program continued
after graduation from basic training, where quarterly
refresher courses are given throughout the enlisted men's
service career.
This retrospective observational study compares the
prevalence of gonorrhea among the 105th and three other
military units that did not receive ongoing AIDS educational
program. The prevalence of gonorrhea was used as an indicator
of the effectiveness of the program because its prime route of
infection (intimate sexual contact) is the same as HIV, and
because gonorrhea is easily detected. The study covered the
period between January 1990 and December 1993.
The data in the study were provided by the Honduran Army
and consists of summaries of the results of periodic
inspections conducted by military physicians on all enlisted
men at approximately 6 week intervals. In these inspections,
the enlisted men are medically examined for the presence of
signs of gonorrhea. The data include the date of the
inspection, the number of soldiers examined, and the number
cases of gonorrhea detected.
In the Honduran Army, the incidence of gonorrhea has
declined significantly in the last four years. It is speculated that at least three contributing factors are
responsible: the free distribution of condoms; the increasing
awareness and fear of AIDS; and, the specific AIDS education
campaigns presented to the enlisted men. The results of this
study indicate that significant reductions in the prevalence
of gonorrhea occurred in all military units studied and that
the rate of reduction in the unit that received the ongoing
educational campaign was greater than in the units that did
not receive the educational campaign.
The study indicates that the provision of ongoing AIDS
education to the Honduran enlisted soldiers results in a
decrease in the prevalence of gonorrhea. The study also
demonstrated the feasibility of conducting research on
sexually transmitted diseases in military units. === Graduation date: 1994
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