Behavior Change Model: Key to HIV Prevention & Treatment

In an attempt to reduce the HIV epidemic in the world, several theories have been practiced to help in the prevention and treatment of HIV. One of the theories is Behavior change model of HIV prevention which offers an explanation to individuals how to progress during a change in health behavior. In this theory, a person goes through stages to change their behavior. This theory has been widely used in the treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS. The patient has to consider each of the model's stage to develop a behavior change. This is the best to practice because it involves complex behaviors of an individual that are influenced from many levels and are influenced to behavior change interventions related to HIV prevention. Many factors affect the behavior change making an individual take action in HIV prevention over time. In this theory, the person is willing to make lifestyle changes that will assist in HIV prevention and treatment making this model to work best.

Behavior change theory can be used in many ways into design health education program to prevent HIV. One of the main ways is to aggregate the effect of radical and sustained behavior change in a group of people who are at potential risk of contracting HIV. In the health education program, the behavior change theory will be used to create interventions for people to interrupt the onset of sexual contact, decrease the number of sexual partners and upsurge the usage of condoms. Through the intervention during health education, there will be a gradual reduction in risky behavior hence reduce the transmission of HIV infection (Kaufman,2014). Through behavior change theory can be used in health programs to encourage individuals to involve in a variety of options to decrease the risk. The goal will be for these people to participate in lasting behavior that prevents HIV.

In health education of HIV prevention, the intervention will be used in changing the behavior by counseling the individuals, couples and other groups by providing information or skills that assist in HIV prevention. The response will encourage these individuals to change their social norms by giving them another opinion that will help them to adopt a new lifestyle that will reduce HIV transmission (Kaufman & Johnson,2014). These lifestyle changes include the taking of preventive measures like using condoms during intercourse or using PrEP when engaging in sex with an infected person. By the help of behavior change models, the groups in the health education will go through the behavior change stages to decide between taking action to prevent the transmission of HIV.

Behavior change model can be used in many social settings to design health education to prevent HIV/Aids. These settings include churches, community centers, correction facilities, and homes. These groups will be encouraged to adopt risk-reduction behaviors that will help them reduce the transmission of HIV. This will be done through face to face interventions or educational interventions to the particular groups. They will be given a chance to contemplate on the information provided until they decide to take action towards HIV prevention. By the help of health education, these groups will be encouraged to change their behavior norms and take measurements that will help to reduce HIV. The young people may decide to abstain from sexual intercourse will the adults will choose to engage in safe sex like using the condoms. These decisions to engage in non-risky behavior will help these groups to minimize the rate of HIV transmission.

References

Ajzen, I., Albarracin, D., & Hornik, R. (Eds.). (2012). Prediction and change of health behavior: Applying the reasoned action approach. Psychology Press.

Kaufman, M. R., Cornish, F., Zimmerman, R. S., & Johnson, B. T. (2014). Health behavior change models for HIV prevention and AIDS care: practical recommendations for a multi-level approach. Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999), 66(Suppl 3), S250.

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