Behavioral prevention is today's AIDS vaccine!

Introduction: Behavioral prevention is currently the only effective way to stem the further spread of HIV, This article reviews the pro-active programmatic model of behavioral research that has led to the development and testing of successful HIV/STD preventive interventions in the last fifteen years. Objective: To present (1) a model of behavioral prevention adapting phases of clinical trials research: Phase I: Discovery; Phase II: Exploratory; Phase Iii: Efficacy; and Phase IV: Effectiveness; and (2) a theoretical framework For behavioral prevention; and (3) A Lifespan Model of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention which can be used to design HIV/STD prevention programs across the lifespan, at different levels (e.g., individual, couple, family, community, societal) using different intervention modalities. Conclusions: Behavioral prevention is effective with different age groups and at different levels of intervention when the prevention program has a theoretical basis. Behavioral prevention works now and can be mobilized within a community to address all of the factors associated with the rapid development of an epidemic. Behavioral prevention is cost effective and can be delivered in communities that have limited resources. (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.