Primary HIV Prevention Concept in Düsseldorf

1. Einrichtung/en

AIDS-Hilfe Düsseldorf e. V. www.duesseldorf.aidshilfe.de

2. Authors

Helmut Kiolbassa
Marco Grober
Stefan Kraushaar
Sabine Overbeck
Carsten Schultze
Martina Block

3. Scientific guidance

Berlin Social Science Centre (WZB); Research Group Public Health, Berlin www.wzb.eu

4. Preventive measure subjected to quality assurance

The participatory quality assurance work covered the following areas of primary prevention:

• School work / Youth work
• Prevention in the party scene for young adults
• Prevention in the gay scene (MSM) / Street work

5. Aim of the quality assurance

The quality assurance was aimed at developing a joint motto for primary prevention at AH Düsseldorf. The quality development focussed on conceptual work. Its subject was the in-house definition of the main focus and concept of primary prevention.

6. What were the benefits of the quality assurance?

The benefits of the quality development were subdivided into benefits in terms of processes and benefits in terms of results.

Benefits in terms of processes:

• With the ZiWi method, the service organisation got to know an instrument that facilitates the definition and specification of its individual objectives.
• Within the scope of the quality development, the workers were provided an opportunity to take a critical look at the individual work areas.
• The ZiWi Method enhanced the workers’ motivation by emphasising the significance of the individual intervention projects (meaningfulness of their own work).
• The collaboration of the team during the participatory quality development process brought the Department of Primary Prevention together to join forces under a common thematic roof.

Benefits in terms of results:

• The quality development served to further develop the work.
  • The results of the quality development can be transferred to other areas of primary prevention at the AIDS service organisation. They should also be integrated under this roof, i.e. under the joint motto.

The quality assurance provided benefits for:

Professional development of workers
Practical prevention work
Collaboration within the team

7. Methodology

The participatory quality development work was aimed at developing a motto for primary prevention at AIDS-Hilfe Düsseldorf. This motto was intended to be more than a guiding principle, but also contain concrete objectives and their reasons.

Quality development steps:
1. Needs assessment: The first step in achieving this objective was the attempt to get a general idea of HIV/AIDS in Düsseldorf. To this end, a time schedule was set up, which depicted the most important events and characteristics with regards to the progression of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Düsseldorf.
By understanding the progression of the AIDS epidemic in Düsseldorf (What is HIV/AIDS in Düsseldorf? How can the progression of the disease be prevented?), the need for intervention was to be reassessed. This “needs assessment” made clear which target group needed what kind of intervention and made it possible to redefine the objectives of the prevention work. The existing services were to be reviewed with regards to the objectives, and measures were to be taken to adapt the structure of services to the defined needs of the community. Five groups were defined which were to be reached at all events with primary prevention between 2006 and 2011: MSM, adolescents (up to age 27), immigrants, heterosexuals and IVDA. The progression of HIV in Düsseldorf shows a relatively stable pattern, although there are some fluctuations in the number of new infections reported. An extensive needs assessment was carried out for two of these groups (adolescents and MSM).

2. Definition of prevention objectives: The second step was to define the prevention objectives for two groups as an example. Using the method of developing local objectives and strategies (ZiWi method), the intervention projects were reviewed and joint prevention objectives were defined. Objectives, milestones and strategies of the intervention projects aimed at adolescents and MSM were defined. Mutual exchange, which involved the individual workers’ assumptions concerning the effects of their own work and whether these assumptions are shared by others, was part of the participatory quality development with this method. Especially the three defined joint objectives of responsible sexuality, counselling and awareness-raising were subject to extensive discussion and entailed a common written definition of the terms.

Which method(s) of this platform was/were applied?

Needs assessment

8. Results of the quality assurance

The definition of objectives resulted in the team members of the primary prevention being united under the joint motto. These objectives will serve as a basis for the development of future intervention projects.

9. Experience and tips

The prevention team of the AIDS service organisation could imagine using the ZiWi method again for planning or reviewing intervention projects. Although this method is time-consuming, it provides the opportunity to systematise the service organisation’s work and planning. At first glance, the ZiWi method is off-putting because of the effort involved and is not considered to be a method that is suitable for being integrated into the work on a regular basis. Similar methods had frequently been used previously without being aware of it, but were not referred to by this name.