UMBANDA HEALERS AS EFFECTIVE AIDS EDUCATORS - CASE-CONTROL STUDY IN BRAZILIAN URBAN SLUMS (FAVELAS)

During a 12-month period (November 1994-October 1995), Afro-Brazilian Umbanda healers (Pais-de-Santo) taught 126 fellow healers from 51 Umba nda centres (terreiros) located in seven overcrowded slums (favelas) ( population 104343) in Brazil's northeast, the biomedical prevention of AIDS, including safe sex practices, avoidance of ritual blood behavio urs and sterilization of cutting instruments. A face-to-face education al Intervention by healers, marginalized in society yet respected by d evotees, which blended traditional healing-its language, codes, symbol s and images - and scientific medicine and addressed social injustices and discrimination was utilized in this project supported by the Braz ilian Ministry of Health, National Program in STDs/AIDS. Significant i ncreases (P<0.001) in AIDS awareness, knowledge about risky HIV behavi our, information about correct condom use, and acceptance of lower-ris k, alternative ritual blood practices and decreases (P<0.001) in preju dicial attitudes related to HIV transmission were found among mobilize d healers as compared to 100 untrained controls. Respected Afro-Brazil ian Pais-de-Santo can be creative and effective partners in national H IV prevention programmes when they are equipped with biomedical inform ation about AIDS.