Project Duration
12 months
Funder
Public Health England: HIV Prevention Innovation Fund
Project Staff
This project is co-ordinated by Well for Living, working in partnership with:
- Delivery member organisations (STASS - Milton Keynes, Sunrise - Corby and Northants, LASS - Leicester/Leicestershire, AISD - Nottingham, Well for Life Derbyshire, Embrace Life Luton)
- University of Nottingham
Staff Staff Institutions
- Jacqui Tillyard1 1. Leicestershire AIDS Support Services (LASS)1
- Jenny Hand1 2. Embrace Life Luton2
- Juliet Kisob1 3. African Institute for Social Development (AISD)3
- Paula Mayes2 4. Sunrise Families4
- Amdani Juma3 5. STaSS5
- Enadi Musa4 6. University of Nottingham6
- Tina Litifah Jones5
- Catrin Evans6
- Holly Blake6
Aims
This project will take the HIV awareness, prevention, testing and condom distribution work developed locally through African community, faith and football events into major distribution employers based on and around the M1 from Milton Keynes/Luton to Nottinghamshire/Derby.
Distribution centres employ large numbers of low waged males usually on long shifts (12hr). Many are working through agencies and travel on buses to work from local conurbations (many with high HIV prevalence and late diagnosis). Many of the African males working in these centres do not have time to take part in community activities. The project will have both a local and regional dimension, locally responding to specific demographics and employers and regionally testing out the potential scaling up and targeting.
Employees will be offered the opportunity to take part in a mobile phone text messaging intervention to encourage uptake of HIV testing. The project will build on our prior work using technology-based mobile phone interventions, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of some of the large logistics employers to support HIV awareness.
Methods
Project delivery:
The Healthy Hub Roadshow brings free health checks to distribution centre workplaces in Luton, Dunstable, Milton Keynes, Corby, Kettering, Northampton, Derby, Kegworth, Castle Donington and Nottingham.
In up to 24 integrated health awareness days we will provide information on HIV and safe sex, HIV testing and condom provision. Different options for HIV testing will be promoted including home sampling and community testing. Workers will be encouraged to get tested with their partners, through couples testing promotion. Employees will be offered access to a mobile phone messaging intervention to promote HIV testing. Employers will be encouraged to allow the workforce to attend health days, held in their canteens or workspaces. We will encourage other health providers to support the health days so HIV is presented as part of improved health awareness with Diabetes, Prostate Cancer, Hepatitis, smoking cessation, alcohol and drugs awareness (including steroid use).
Evaluation approach:
We will adopt MRC process evaluation model to assess intervention fidelity, reach, adoption, and implementation. Quantitative monitoring data and qualitative interview data will be collected. Recommendations will be made for how this project could be replicated across other work places, links to fit for work, sickness rates, later diagnosis reduction, HIV and mental health.
Stage of Development
Healthy Hub Roadshow underway, currently recruiting organisations. For more information, see the Linkedin webpage.