Scientists, universities, governments, and organizations spend millions of dollars annually searching for ways to prevent and cure AIDS. However, it takes time and effort for the results of their research to trickle down to developing countries where help is most needed. One way to disseminate new knowledge about AIDS could be to use computers for distance learning. Scientists from the Medical College of Wisconsin offered distance-learning programs to organizations all over the world that are helping fight AIDS to see if they would help.

What the researchers wanted to know: Are distance-learning programs a good way to help organizations in other countries learn how to fight AIDS more effectively?

What they did: The researchers tried out two slightly different ways to spread the word on an AIDS-fighting strategy to 86 AIDS organizations from 78 different countries. Representatives from all of the organizations attended an orientation session about an effective strategy for stopping the spread of AIDS—teaching local leaders how to prevent AIDS, then having them talk about what they know with people in the community. They were also given a computer, Internet access, and materials explaining how to implement that strategy. Then, people from only half of the groups received a computer CD with a curriculum that described specific steps they could take to implement the strategy of teaching local leaders, including how to identify and train the leaders and how to write grants. They also had access to a consultant whom they could contact over the phone or via Internet. The researchers interviewed people from all of the organizations at the beginning of the experiment and again 15 months later.

What they found: Compared with organizations just given orientation and materials, organizations that were given specific steps to follow were twice as likely to develop new programs or modify their existing programs. The researchers said that being able to contact a consultant after the initial training session helped the organizations greatly.

What it means to you: Because these curriculums can be developed relatively inexpensively, this method could be a way to send information about AIDS around the world quickly and cheaply. Consultants do not need to visit the sites regularly, and many of the materials the organizations need can be distributed over the Internet. In addition, more than half of the groups that received a curriculum exchanged information with other organizations near them that were not part of the experiment, spreading new knowledge even more quickly.

Caveats: First, the interviews about the success of each program were all done with the directors of the organization, who could be a little biased as to the effectiveness and motivation of their organization. However, many of the directors provided paperwork (such as grant applications) to back up their statements. A more fundamental problem is that the strategy taught for this study —using local leaders to educate their friends and family— is inexpensive and easy to implement. Organizations might not find it as easy to adopt a more expensive strategy such as condom distribution or drug therapy

Find out more: There are many AIDS awareness and prevention campaigns around the world; one of the largest is the United Nations' campaign.

The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, announced in January 2003, sets aside $15 billion to fight AIDS in developing countries. An outline of the goals of the program can be found on the State Department's website.

Read the article: Kelly, J.A. et al. "Distance Communication Transfer of HIV Prevention Interventions to Service Providers." Science. Sept. 24, 2004, Vol. 305, No. 5692, pp. 1953-1955.

Abstract online: www.sciencemag.org