81364 enGender Impact: The World Bank’s Gender Impact Evaluation Database HIV/AIDS sensitization and peer-mentoring Evidence from a randomized experiment in Senegal Author(s) J-L Arcand, C Sakho, N Wagner, P A Diallo Contact cheikhousakho5@yahoo.fr Country Senegal Organizing Health Theme Status Completed Intervention Reproductive Health Category Sector Health, Nutrition & Population Background Sensitization campaigns to increase voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) are important tools in the fight against the HIV/AIDS virus in Africa. For the case of Senegal, we examine whether funding community based organizations can be an effective means of increasing VCT adoption and modifying the subsequent behavior of HIV-positive individuals. Method We analyze two randomly introduced HIV/AIDS sensitization campaigns by ex- piloting routinely-collected administrative data on standard HIV/AIDS indicators from 52 health districts. We distinguish between two treatment groups: in a first set of randomly-chosen health districts, community organizations received funding and carried out traditional HIV/AIDS sensitization, whereas in a second randomly-chosen treatment group, they did so by using a new peer-mentoring mechanism; the remaining health districts were assigned to the control group and received no funding. Findings Our results indicate that: (i) funded peer mentoring doubles the number of individuals who get tested, who follow pre- Abstract test counseling and who pick up their test results; (ii) neither funded traditional sensitization nor peer-mentoring increases the number of individuals who tested positive and who picked up their results; (iii) both funded traditional sensitization and peer mentoring increase the number of partners of HIV-positive individuals who get tested; (iv) both peer-mentoring and funded traditional sensitization significantly increase the number of HIV-positive individuals who follow post-test counseling. Interpretation Instead of coming attention to a single manner of deploying sensitization campaigns, a hybrid approach, in which peer- mentoring and traditional methods are combined, is advisable so as to reap complementarities. We have also demonstrated that inexpensive routinely-collected administrative data can be used for rigorous impact evaluations. Gender Gender Focused Intervention Connection Gender Reproductive health Outcomes IE Design Clustered Randomized Control Trial (Clustered by health clinic) The first intervention is a traditional HIV/AIDS sensitization campaign which included TV ads, posters, flyers and live Intervention info sessions. The second treatment is a new peer monitoring program for HIV/AIDS sensitization was introduced. 150 individuals are intensely trained in small groups. Then, the trained individuals promise to mentor at least two other Last updated: 14 August 2013 1 enGender Impact: The World Bank’s Gender Impact Evaluation Database individuals in their community and/or circle of friends. Intervention January - March 2009 Period Sample There are 52 health districts in the sample. 9 districts received treatment 1, 19 districts received treatment 2 and 24 population districts comprised the control group. Comparison The control group continued whatever social mobilization activities they had before the program. conditions Unit of District Level analysis Evaluation Data was constructed quarterly from Q1:2008 to Q1 :2009 Period Funded peer-mentoring doubles the number of individuals who get tested, follow pre-test counselling and pick up their test results. Traditional sensitization and peer mentoring do not have an impact on the number of individuals who test positive or pick up their results. Funded traditional sensitization and peer mentoring increase the number of partners of HIV positive individuals who get tested. Both peer mentoring and traditional sensitization significantly increase the number of HIV positive individuals who follow post-test counseling. Results In terms of changing the behavior of HIV-positive individuals, both traditional social mobilization and peer-mentoring are effective, with traditional social mobilization being much more so in terms of ensuring that partners of infected men are tested and infected women follow post-test counseling, while peer-mentoring is effective at encouraging infected men to follow post-test counseling. Primary study limitations Funding Senegalese government, Global HIV/AIDS Program, UNAIDS, World Bank Source Arcand, J. L., Sakho, C., Wagner, N., & Diallo, P. A. (2011). HIV/AIDS sensitization and peer-mentoring: Evidence Reference(s) from a randomized experiment in Senegal. Link to http://graduateinstitute.ch/files/live/sites/iheid/files/sites/international_economics/shared/international_economics/ Studies prof%20websites/arcand/Work_in_progress/vih_lancet_october10-2.pdf Microdata Last updated: 14 August 2013 2