PSI

Uniformed services personnel, such as the military and police, are vulnerable to HIV due in part to their age, environment and inclination towards risky sexual behavior. This population is highly mobile and may be away from their regular partners for extended periods of time, which also serves to increase risk. In peacetime, STI rates among armed forces are generally two to five times higher than in civilian populations, while in times of conflict this disparity can be much higher.

The uniformed services also offer a unique opportunity for HIV prevention interventions with a large "captive audience" in a disciplined and organized setting. Moreover, uniformed services personnel are also potential role models for positive behaviors.

PSI has been working with uniformed services personnel since the early 1990s. PSI recognizes and harnesses key features of the military's organizational structure, such as close living and work quarters, to develop and implement targeted HIV prevention interventions.

PSI provides HIV counseling and testing services to military personnel in Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda and Togo. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), PSI has reached over 27,000 military officials with behavior change communication sessions and this intervention model was adopted by the DRC military as a standard for its own HIV prevention programming. Additionally, PSI has targeted military programs in Burundi, Malawi, Russia, Cote d'Ivoire, and Sudan.

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Health Areas: HIV