Population Council | Americas

AMERICAS
Brazil

In its early years in Brazil, the Council collaborated with the University of Campinas and the Center for Mother and Child Research of Campinas (CEMICAMP). Recently, the Council’s partners have included the National STI/HIV/AIDS program and several NGOs.

Program Focus

In the 1980s the Population Council's office in Brazil (closed in 2007) coordinated activities related to contraceptive introduction in several countries in Latin America. The 1990s saw a shift in focus to quality-of-care in provision of contraceptive services. Recent Council research has addressed HIV and AIDS among vulnerable populations—primarily along Brazil’s borders, where HIV prevalence is higher than the national average. Capacity building remains an underlying aspect of the Council’s work, with the Ministry of Health and Brazil’s National STI/HIV/AIDS program being the primary recipients of the Council’s technical assistance.

Highlights of Past and Present Work

Played a key role in the introduction of contraceptive methods in the country, including the Copper T 380A IUD, implants (Norplant® and Jadelle®), and emergency contraception.
Coordinated activities to update Brazil’s national guidelines on family planning, published in 2002.
Completed a strategic assessment of the HIV epidemic in border areas, which provided the basis for the Ministry of Health’s research strategy to address the epidemic.
Was designated one of a handful of agencies in a consortium to implement USAID’s and the Ministry of Health’s AIDS research strategy.
Collaborated with the University of Michigan and Reprolatina, a Brazilian NGO, in the creation of eight training centers in Brazil, two in Bolivia, and two in Chile, and a network of researchers, known as ExpandNet, which undertakes studies on scaling up service innovations in reproductive health in the public sector.

Selected Projects

Current

Assessing and Improving the Measurement of Sexual Behaviors (1/00–1/09)
Horizons projects
- Validation of the Accuracy of Prostate-specific Antigen Detection in Vaginal Fluids Obtained by Self-sampling as a Marker of Semen Exposure and Condom Failure (7/06–6/07)
- Risk Factors for HIV Infection in the MSM Population in the Metropolitan Area of Campinas City, Brazil, Using Respondent-driven Sampling (6/05–6/07)

Completed

Horizons projects
- Assessing the Risk Factors for HIV Infection Among Sex Workers and Men Who Have Sex with Men at the Triple-Border Area in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay (completed 3/07)
- Improving the Quality of STI/HIV/AIDS Prevention and STI Testing and Treatment Among Commercial Sex Workers at the Brazil/Bolivia Border in Corumba (completed 9/06)
- HIV Prevention, Testing, and Treatment for Mobile Populations, with a Focus on Truck Drivers in Brazil (completed 8/06)
- Promoting Healthy Relationships and HIV/STI Prevention for Young Men in Brazil (completed 12/04)
- Assessing the Contribution of Community Development Approaches by Sex Workers to Reducing Vulnerability to HIV and Other STIs (completed 6/04)
- Comparison of Male and Female Condoms in Preventing Exposure to Semen During Typical Use (completed 6/02)
- Acceptability of the Female Condom by Sex Workers (completed 12/00)