Films
Jamie & Becky
“Jamie & Becky” was shortlisted at the WHO Health For All Film festival in the Sexual and Reproductive Health Category. This film was shown during one of the intervention sessions. The idea of using a film to facilitate discussion around HIV status sharing was based on the premise that it would easier to engage young people in watching and answering questions based on a drama than in asking directly about their experiences. The film aimed to create empathy with both Jamie (living with HIV) and Becky (his partner) through providing realistic scenarios of the concerns of Jamie before sharing, the sharing episode itself, and its aftermath. We also wanted to model a possible, helpful way that young people living with HIV could share their HIV status. We wanted to let the young people know that:
- anxiety about sharing is really normal but often the anxiety will be worse than the reality,
- trying to provide clear information about HIV can be helpful,
- there may be a mixture of responses from the person shared with, some of which change over time.
Participants were told that the film was a fictional account just showing one way that HIV sharing might take place, and that some parts of the film might be difficult to watch and it might remind them of something in their own life. After the film, they were asked questions about the film (e.g., how it related to their lives).
Research
Information for Young People
Why is it difficult for young people with HIV to share their diagnosis?
For a series of leaflets for young people living with HIV click here
