The Communication Initiative
Development action with informed and engaged societies
The Communication Initiative
After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
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Community Mobilisation and Peer/Youth Engagement - Fewer Young Men Reporting Sexual Debut

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Strategy researched

Community mobilisation, peer education, supporting health workers to provide youth-friendly sexual health services, and peer condom social marketing

Impact achieved

The intervention substantially improved knowledge, reported attitudes and some reported sexual behaviours, especially in boys, but had no consistent impact on biological outcomes within the 3-year trial period. For example, the proportion of young men reporting sexual debut during follow-up was 60% in the intervention and 72% in the comparison communities. Similarly, the proportion of male subjects reporting more than one sexual partner in the past year was significantly lower in the intervention (19%) than in the comparison communities (28%), but no significant difference was seen in female participants. The proportions who reported initiating condom use during follow-up were substantially and significantly higher in intervention communities among both male (39% compared to 28% in control) and female to participants (38% in intervention and 28% in control). The proportions reporting condom use at last sex were also higher in intervention communities in both sexes.

Country of study

Tanzania

Research methodology

Community-randomised trial

Journal

AIDS; 2007

Journal paper title and link

Biological and behavioural impact of an adolescent sexual health intervention in Tanzania: a community-randomized trial

Excerpt from Abstract

"The intervention had a significant impact on knowledge and reported attitudes, reported sexually transmitted infection symptoms, and several behavioural outcomes. Only five HIV seroconversions occurred in boys, whereas in girls the adjusted rate ratio (intervention versus comparison) was 0.75 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.34, 1.66]. Overall HSV2 prevalences at follow-up were 11.9% in male and 21.1% in female participants, with adjusted prevalence ratios of 0.92 (CI 0.69, 1.22) and 1.05 (CI 0.83, 1.32), respectively. There was no consistent beneficial or adverse impact on other biological outcomes. The beneficial impact on knowledge and reported attitudes was confirmed by results of a school examination in a separate group of students in mid-2002."