Research Alliance to Combat HIV/AIDS (REACH)

Longitudinal Study

For the longitudinal approach, one of the two communities will be from a
part of the country with a relatively high regional HIV/AIDS prevalence
(6.1%) and the other, from an area with a low prevalence (1.8%).
Research teams will collect data and information on several areas. This
information will include:

-cultural, religious, and socioeconomic attributes that could influence,
directly or indirectly, the frequency with which individuals engage in
behavior that put them at risk of HIV infection;

-past and current prevention interventions and their perceived impact;

-available HIV/AIDS testing and treatment services and their capacity to
encourage prevention;

-local power structures, modes of organization, and existing community
resources;

-capacities of local government agencies, civil society groups, and
other institutions relevant to prevention efforts.

-the possibility of collecting population based seroprevalence
information in those communities.