An Evaluation of Communication Strategies used in the Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) Campaign at the University of Durban-Westville.

By Tesfagabir Berhe Tesfu (2003) 

ABSTRACT

The present project evaluates and examines a communication campaign carried out at the University of Durban-Westville (UDW) in 2003, which publicized the introduction of a HIV/AIDS Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) facility on campus. Drawing on theories of entertainment education (EE) and behavior change, the campaign’s effectiveness is analysed in relation to (1) audience reception; (2) take-up of the service promoted; and (3) visibility and penetration of the media employed. The thesis is that the message in campaign’s of this nature benefits from avoiding claims of bringing about behaviour change by the mere fact of communication or information transfer. Instead, it is proposed that anti-HIV behavior-change messages focus on urging audiences to act in presenting for VCT, because the ongoing counseling of VCT is a proper communicative forum for such changes. In conclusion, the present campaign’s shortcomings are noted, and considered in the context of how to address these in relation to the opportunities offered by the merger of UDW with the University of Natal from 2004.

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