HIV/AIDS and injecting drug use: Information, education and communication

Information, education and communication (IEC) has an important role to play in HIV/AIDS prevention and harm reduction among injecting drug users and their sexual partners. This paper reviews what is known about the effects of IEC within this context. It distinguishes between six types of individual level intervention in which IEC has a role to play (mass reach interventions, outreach work, harm minimisation, drug cessation/treatment programmes, voluntary and confidential counselling and testing, and risk reduction counselling) and two different styles of structural intervention (structural and environmental outreach work to tackle the structured vulnerabilities associated with HIV/AIDS). Though the evidence base is weak, evidence relating to IEC's contribution and effects in each of these fields is reviewed. Overall, and by itself, IEC can do little more than raise levels of knowledge, awareness and understanding; however, when combined with other measures, including service provision and a supportive social environment, more positive and sustainable effects can be achieved.