Sex Like Sweet Potatoes: Framing HIV in the South Pacific Media

Abstract

Background: UNAID’s recommended approach to increasing knowledge and effecting attitudinal changes towards HIV infections is to implement a Combination Prevention framework, bringing together intervention strategies from the medical, structural and behavioral frames, tailored to the localized environment. This study discusses the likely impact of the above-mentioned frames on media’s circulation of HIV-related information and the long-term advancement of societal knowledge on HIV infection within the South Pacific context. 

Methods: We used content analysis to examine the usage of the three frames for HIV infection reporting in The Fiji Times from January 2007 to December 2014. 

Results: We found 154 articles dealing with HIV infection. The frames were not equally represented. Structural frame dominated the media (73%), followed by behavioral (16%) and medical (10%) frames. The structural frame presented HIV infection as a social issue and media emphasis was on a disease that needed to be accommodated within the society. The behavioral frame defined HIV infection as a sexually transmitted disease of the individual and emphasized prevention. The medical frame focused on individual diagnosis and treatment. 

Conclusions: Given the central role of media in health literacy in Fiji, there is a need for more media emphasis on behavioral and medical approaches to HIV prevention and management. The media also needs to actively report on the HIV issues to raise public awareness and discuss cultural concerns.