ABSTRACT
Th e mass media have been employed with great frequency around the world in interventions to help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) (DeJong, Wolf, & Austin, 2001; Holtgrave, 1997; Myhre & Flora, 2000; Ratzan, Payne, & Massett, 1994; Singhal & Rogers, 2003). Th ese mass communication campaigns have employed single or multiple media at the national, regional, and local levels, either as stand-alone eff orts or as part of multicomponent programs involving strategies such as needle-sharing programs, community coalitions, counseling, support groups, and peer education. Mass media campaigns, because of their ability to reach huge and diverse audiences in a cost-eff ective manner, have tremendous potential as a tool in fi ghting the spread of the HIV/AIDS pandemic and other STDs. Cohen, Wu, and Farley (2005) estimated through mathematical modeling that media campaigns were the sixth most cost-eff ective strategy (out of 24 tested) for preventing HIV infection in the United States. Th is estimate did not take into account that three of the fi ve strategies rated above media campaigns in cost-eff ectiveness (community mobilization, STD screening, and needle exchange) have oft en utilized the media to facilitate the strategy.
