Advocating for community-based behavioural approaches within the combination HIV prevention framework: A critical literature review

Abstract

Efforts within the combination HIV prevention in the UK have not been sufficiently broad enough to address important aspects of behavioural issues to the end of the HIV epidemic, while also neglecting the role of community-level interventions in developing a more sustainable approach. The restricted impact presented in biomedical interventions calls for the redesign of a more comprehensive preventative protocol, where psychosocial and behavioural strategies that target high-risk local communities are more strongly emphasised. A comprehensive review of empirical studies was undertaken to investigate the reliability of community-based HIV prevention practices, which have targeted behavioural change in demographics and contexts similar to those presented in London. Further recommendations were developed and directed at London’s HIV and sexual health leading actors. The findings of this review have reinforced the argument for the need of community-based, culturally relevant programmes alongside and interweaving with biomedical approaches, and not solely biomedical-focused HIV prevention.