Discussing safer sex in HIV counselling: assessing three communication formats.

Although it is acknowledged that counselling can be an important factor in behaviour change, we lack information on how HIV counselling works in practice. Research is reported based on transcriptions of audio-tapes of counselling drawn from seven hospital centres in England and the USA. It is shown that communication occurs in the context of three different formats. Certain formats and conversational strategies used by counsellors produce far greater patient participation. Such participation may hold out the prospect of greater behavioural change than simply listening to information and advice.