HIV Counseling and Testing for Women
Allison C. Morrill, JD, PhD, Principal Investigator
Funded by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (AI 39908)
This project designed, produced and evaluated the effectiveness of a video, Talk About Testing, for women who test for HIV and their male partners. The goal of the video is to increase partner testing and safer sex.
Talk About Testing (video)
This 20-minute documentary video won the prestigious Freddie Award – "the Oscar of medical films and videos." It uniquely combines cartoon animation, man/woman-on-the-street interviews and the true stories of people who have been tested for HIV/AIDS, for an engaging look at the importance of HIV testing and counseling.
Awards:
- International Health and Medical Film Festival (Winner of The Freddie)
- National Health Information Award (Gold)
- HeSCA Bronze Medal
View a clip >>
Ordering information (in English or Spanish) >>Evaluation Results
A rigorous scientific evaluation found that Talk About Testing does help women protect themselves. Two hundred seventy-four women who had a steady male partner and engaged in unprotected sex were given either the video or a pamphlet. Six weeks later, women who received the video had much greater knowledge about HIV, and more of their partners had been tested. Also, women who viewed the video had less unprotected sex.
Women in the research gave Talk About Testing high marks. When asked to rate how helpful it was on a scale from 1 to 5, more than half gave it the top rating: a "5."
Scholarly Publications
Interpersonal issues surrounding HIV counseling and testing, and the phenomenon of “testing by proxy.”
Morrill AC, Noland C. (2006).
Journal of Health Communication.