The basis: preparation and insight

If you want to use sport as an instrument to prevent HIV/AIDS, you must remember that the attitude and the behaviour of individuals and/or groups are based on habit, knowledge and social, cultural, political and economic factors. These are the determining factors for the success of sport as an intervention tool in the struggle against HIV/AIDS.

Don't simply set up your own educational information activities. Before an HIV/AIDS sport project is started, it is important to collect information about existing visions, policy, HIV/AIDS intervention strategies in that country. It is of vital importance that you are aware of local morals/manners and customs. If this knowledge is not present within your own organisation, it will have to be obtained through local partner organisations.

Of course information will also have to be gained about existing programmes and the current state of affairs. For example, see what information UNAIDS has about a country before starting an HIV/AIDS sports project (www.unAIDS.org).

An example of a good resource is the APDIME Toolkit (Assessment, Planning, Design, Implementation, Monitoring, and Evaluation of HIV/AIDS interventions). This toolkit was developed for USAID as an instrument for the design of effective projects and programmes for developing countries. It offers resources, information and tools for each step in the policy-making process and the actual project

Determinants

To influence people's behaviour, it is necessary to understand the factors that determine that behaviour. Insight into these factors provides insight into possible interventions as well. When used in sport programmes, determinants are classified into three levels (Wim Delva & Marleen Temmerman, 2006).

1. Determinants at the level of the intervention (attitudes and communities)

This is about the attitudes and perceptions in communities and about opportunities to take part in sports (infrastructures, capacity and finances etc.). Recognition of the socio-cultural and the political determinants is decisive for a successful implementation of HIV/AIDS prevention sport programmes.

To set up a successful project, these factors must be taken into account. A crucial aspect here is cooperation between sport organisations, schools and government bodies and involvement of the parents. This sets in motion a process of development of positive values and social skills through sport which goes beyond the playing field and the training and becomes an inseparable part of daily life.

2. Determinants at the level of sexual behaviour

Perceptions and attitudes are not independent of a person's cultural background and social networks, and sexual behaviour is never exclusively based on the choices of individuals. Other factors always play a role as well, such as peer pressure and role models, self-esteem, satisfaction of needs and assumed benefits in relation to risks.

To effectively influence behaviour through sport programmes, a context analysis must first be made so that barriers to the development of knowledge, attitude and behaviour are identified.

3. Determinants at the level of the epidemic

HIV/AIDS affects all of society. The question is: will a change in behaviour lessen the number of HIV infections and slow the spread of HIV? Factors influencing the broader context are:

• availability of HIV/AIDS inhibitors;
• prevention programme for pregnant women;
• HIV tests, condom availability and use;
• sex education;
• sexual behaviour of the target group;
• the sexual behaviour of non-targeted groups;
• the interaction and relationships between these two groups and the backgrounds, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours on which they are based.

Before developing a sports programme, these factors will have to be understood so that interventions can be based on a full appreciation of interdependencies.

This point of view was the starting point for the development of the intervention-impact cascade model (Grassly, Garnett, Schwartländer, Gregson & Anderson, 2001). This phased model shows that by influencing certain contributing factors, sport can be an effective instrument in the prevention of HIV.