Identification of structural interventions for HIV/AIDS prevention: the concept mapping exercise

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Social and Behavioral Sciences

Background:

• Structural interventions are prevention strategies addressing physical, social, cultural, organizational, community, economic, legal, and policy factors.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) initiated a project to assess structural interventions for HIV prevention.
• Experts from HIV prevention and related public health fields (e.g., injury prevention, tobacco control) were consulted.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the feasibility, evaluability, and sustainability of structural interventions for HIV prevention.
• To identify and categorize structural interventions based on a defined framework.
• To assess the potential impact of these interventions on reducing HIV transmission.

Main Methods:

• Experts identified 123 interventions meeting the definition of structural interventions.
• Interventions were grouped into categories based on conceptual similarities.
• Experts rated the potential impact of each intervention on reducing HIV transmission.

Main Results:

• A comprehensive list of 123 structural interventions for HIV prevention was generated.
• Interventions were categorized, providing a structured overview.
• Expert ratings indicated a need for further investigation into the impact on HIV transmission.

Conclusions:

• The study identified a broad range of structural interventions applicable to HIV prevention.
• Findings underscore the necessity for rigorous research on the implementation feasibility and effectiveness of these interventions.
• Further studies are essential to validate the role of structural interventions in reducing HIV transmission risks.