Sport-based HIV prevention HIV remains pressing threat to young people –34M infected, 2.5M new infections per year –About 35% of infections are among young people –Limited effectiveness of youth prevention efforts –Urgent need for effective prevention work Increasing use of sports-based HIV prevention –Dozens of organizations and funders across the world e.g. Grassroot Soccer, Kicking AIDS Out, MYSA, Parivartan USAID, Nike, EJAF, MAC AIDS Fund, Comic Relief, Barclays –Programs use sports themes, activities, role models –Growing evidence base on effectiveness

Assessing the evidence of sport-based HIV prevention through a systematic review Zachary A. Kaufman, MSc PhD Candidate, LSHTM

Systematic review objectives To assess and synthesize the evidence of effectiveness for SBHP interventions To identify gaps in existing research in order to inform future studies

Methods Inclusion criteria –Assessing SBHP effectiveness quantitatively –Interventions using sport at least partially –Interventions aimed at preventing HIV –RCTs, quasi-experimental, pre/post, cross-sectional Study quality appraisal –Adapted Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS) Analysed evidence strength across outcomes –Knowledge, attitudes, communication, behaviour –Service uptake, biological outcomes (HIV, HSV, etc) –Sensitivity analysis: restricted to published studies

Included studies (n=21)

No randomised controlled trials. No studies with biomarkers.

Figure 2: SBHP effects on knowledge

Figure 3: SBHP effects on communication

Conclusions on effectiveness of SBHP Overall strong evidence of effect on: –HIV-related knowledge –HIV-related communication Overall weak evidence of effect on: –HIV-related attitudes –Reported sexual behaviour Generally low-quality studies to date –Need stronger methodology

Conclusions: gaps in research Need stronger methodology –Randomisation: in sampling and allocation –Longer-term follow-up –More objective, rigorous outcomes Effects on service uptake? –Does SBHP increase HCT uptake? –Can SBHP increase MMC uptake? Effects on biological outcomes? –Does SBHP reduce HIV, STI incidence?

Questions and Discussion