IMPROVING INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL PRACTICES IN A CULTURALLY, LINGUISTICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY DIVERSE ENVIRONMENT.

Atoifi Adventist Hospital (AAH) in the Solomon Islands serves a population of 80,000 people, many living in small remote villages. Atoifi is situated on the east side of the island of Malaita in the East Kwaio region. Kwaio is one of 12 language groups on Malaita and most people engage in the subsistence economy.

Strengthening capacity for local evidence to inform local responses to HIV in a remote Solomon Islands health service.

Background: Documenting specific knowledge and attitudes about HIV in the culturally diverse nation of Solomon Islands is essential to inform locally targeted public health responses. As part of a large capacity-strengthening project at Atoifi Adventist Hospital in East Kwaio, Solomon Islands, researchers, using a 'learn-by-doing' process, worked with participants in public health research methods.

Methods: Overall, 43 people attended research capacity building workshops in 2011; eight joined the HIV study group.