Behavioral prevention is today's AIDS vaccine!

Abstract

Introduction: Behavioral prevention is currently the only effective way to stem the further spread of HIV. This article reviews the pro-active programmatic model of behavioral research that has led to the development and testing of successful HIV/STD preventive interventions in the last fifteen years.

Objective: To present (1) a model of behavioral prevention adapting phases of clinical trials research: Phase I: Discovery; Phase II: Exploratory; Phase III: Efficacy; and Phase IV: Effectiveness; and (2) a theoretical framework for behavioral prevention; and (3) A Lifespan Model of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention which can be used to design HIV/STD prevention programs across the lifespan, at different levels (e.g., individual, couple, family, community, societal) using different intervention modalities.

Conclusions: Behavioral prevention is effective with different age groups and at different levels of intervention when the prevention program has a theoretical basis. Behavioral prevention works now and can be mobilized within a community to address all of the factors associated with the rapid development of an epidemic. Behavioral prevention is cost effective and can be delivered in communities that have limited resources.