![]() The intervention can be delivered with clients who are HIV positive and HIV-negative. The target population for the SHIELD intervention is male and female adults (18 years or older) who are current or former ‘hard’ drug users (heroin, cocaine, and crack) who interact with other drug users. Finally, by training former and current drug users to conduct outreach, hidden and hard-to-reach individuals may be engaged in HIV prevention. SHIELD is low-cost and requires few technology resources and nominal space, which allows for implementation with minimal budget, staff, and facility size. ![]() According to this model, training one individual leads to teaching and positively influencing many others. Furthermore, by training drug users to be Peer Educators, they become an active participant in the community effort to stop the spread of HIV. Peer Educators are more likely to have access to drug users in the community, especially those who may not access traditional prevention services. Training current and former drug users, who interact with other drug-using individuals, as Peer Educators is an efficient HIV prevention approach. They use their communication skills to have conversations about prevention to help stop the spread of HIV. Peer Educators are trained to be leaders within their social networks and communities. In addition, Peer Educators are taught effective communication skills in order to talk with people in their social networks about HIV prevention information. In the SHIELD model of HIV prevention, one individual (a Peer Educator) is taught strategies to reduce HIV risk associated with drug use and sex behavior. The SHIELD intervention is based on several theories Social Cognitive Theory, Social Identity Theory, Cognitive Dissonance (or inconsistency) Theory, and Social Influence Theory. SHIELD, a group level intervention, trains current and former drug users to be Peer Educators who share HIV prevention information with people in their social networks (e.g., friends, family, sex partners, etc.). The Self-Help in Eliminating Life-threatening Diseases (SHIELD) intervention is an innovative approach to HIV prevention.
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