USING PERFORMANCE AND THEATRE ARTS IN HIV INTERVENTIONS AND HIV PROGRAMMING IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: A SCOPING REVIEW OF EXTANT LITERATURE.

To raise awareness and knowledge of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); information, education and communication (IEC) strategies are needed. Entertainment education (EE) uses performing arts and theatre, as form of HIV programming, and is increasingly utilised in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), a region impacted by a generalised HIV epidemic. A scoping review was conducted mapping and describing extant performance and theatre arts literature in HIV programming in the region. 27 records (between 1999-2019) were charted and thematically analysed. Performance theatre as a health education and promotion strategy in HIV programming was reported in South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Uganda, Malawi, Lesotho, Zambia, Nigeria and Tanzania. This innovative strategy raised awareness, enhanced knowledge and corrected community myths; was transformative in changing cultural views and attitudes; and enhancing behaviour change. This review highlights the potential for continued use of innovative performance and theatre arts in HIV interventions and HIV programming in SSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]