Communication Goals

Uit het artikel: STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION IN THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV/AIDS IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

A. Raise awareness about HIV/AIDS amongst target audiences. Raising
awareness is the first step to increased social tolerance towards the issue. This
must be done without spreading panic, but rather by educating and informing
target audiences.

B. Raise personal relevancy of the issue of HIV/AIDS amongst target audiences.
The Russian public feels largely disconnected from the issue of HIV/AIDS
while most think that it affects only other people. In order for change of
behavior to occur, audiences must feel that the issue at hand is relevant to
their lives and their person.

C. Communicate the urgency of the issue to target audiences and the fact that
something has to be done immediately. Feeling disassociated from an issue
also makes it easier to ignore it and wait for others to take action. Social
mobilization is of the essence considering the pace of the spread of HIV in
the RF.

D. Communicate to target audiences that stopping HIV/AIDS is in everyone’s
interest. Communicating that HIV/AIDS has implications on the national
economy, on future generations, and that PLWHA are part of society will
help bring the issue closer to home for target audiences.

E. Raise HIV/AIDS knowledge levels, how it is spread and how it can be
prevented amongst target audiences. An increased knowledge about
HIV/AIDS will empower people to take responsibility and action, it will
demystify the issue itself and it will make the pubic more tolerant towards
PLWHA while allowing target audiences to effectively protect themselves.

F. Communicate to target audiences that HIV/AIDS is not a death sentence and
raise awareness about treatment options. This will possibly make people
suspicious of their status more willing to get tested. It will also decrease some
of the negativity and hopelessness associated with the disease and help
PLWHA be more aware of their options.