Accurate and inaccurate HIV transmission beliefs, stigmatizing and HIV protection motivation in northern Thailand

We assessed the relation between accurate beliefs about HIV transmission and inaccurate beliefs about HIV transmission and emotional reactions to people with AIDS (PWA) and AIDS risk groups, stigmatizing attitudes and motivation to protect from HIV. In Chiang Rai, northern Thailand, 219 respondents filled in a structured questionnaire assessing accurate and inaccurate HIV transmission beliefs, emotional reactions towards PWA and AIDS risk groups, stigmatizing attitudes and motivation to protect from HIV according to variables from Protection Motivation Theory. Complete accurate beliefs about documented modes of HIV transmission were present in 47% of the respondents, while 26% of the respondents held one or more inaccurate beliefs about HIV transmission. Incomplete beliefs about documented modes of transmission were significantly related to stigmatizing beliefs towards people with AIDS (PWA), to lower vulnerability of HIV infection and lower self-efficacy in protection. Those who held inaccurate beliefs about HIV transmission reported more fear towards PWA and homosexuals and more irritation towards PWA and commercial sex workers. Persons who held inaccurate beliefs about HIV transmission also reported more stigmatizing attitudes, perceived AIDS as less severe, perceived a lower vulnerability and were less motivated to use condoms. Results of this study suggest that inaccurate beliefs about HIV transmission are related to fear and stigmatizing and undermine HIV prevention behaviour.     

HIV/AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes and perceptions: a cross-sectional household survey

This study aimed to assess knowledge of and attitudes toward HIV/AIDS among a community in a semi-urban setting in Malaysia, to determine factors affecting perceptions toward people living with HIV in the community, and to provide baseline information for planning preventive measures against HIV/AIDS. This cross-sectional study was conducted in August 2009. Two hundred sixty-two household members were interviewed with a semi-structured questionnaire. Most respondents (232; 88.5%) had heard of HIV/AIDS. Only a few respondents (6; 2.6%) could correctly answer all the questionnaire items. Misconceptions about disease transmission were seen among surveyed participants, such as the belief HIV/AIDS can be contracted from saliva (104; 44.8%), mosquito bites (95; 40.9%) or casual touch (86; 37.1%). A multivariate linear regression model showed better perceptions towards people living with HIV depend on an improved knowledge of HIV/AIDS transmission. Current data emphasize the need to scale up HIV/AIDS education incorporating the mode of disease transmission.     

A survey of knowledge about AIDS and sexual behavior in sexually active men in Mae Sot, Tak, Thailand

A survey of 15-34 year old men in Mae Sot, Tak, was conducted in December 1989 to determine their knowledge about AIDS, HIV transmission, and sexual behavior to guide future AIDS prevention programs. A total of 172 men from the municipality (urban) and 311 men from the surrounding villages (rural) were interviewed. More than 90% of both groups possessed knowledge about the existing modes of HIV transmission, however, there were some who had the mistaken belief that AIDS can be spread by mosquito bites, using public toilets, or through various forms of casual contact. These misconceptions in the community underscore the need for more education designed to counteract them. Although nearly all of them knew that condoms can prevent infection, only half of the urban and one-third of the rural sexually active men had ever used a condom during their sexual intercourse with prostitutes. However, condom use increased over time. Since a number of these men first engaged in sexual intercourse at an early age, the promotion of health education about AIDS in the schools is essential.     

社区卫生服务机构艾滋病防治工作人员的艾滋病知识和歧视态度及相关影响因素的研究

目的了解社区卫生服务机构艾滋病防治工作人员,对艾滋病病毒（HIV）感染者/艾滋病（AIDS）病人（简称HIV/AIDS病人）的歧视情况及影响因素。方法采用自填式调查问卷,对8个城市40家社区卫生服务机构361名工作人员进行调查。调查内容包括工作人员的一般情况、对HIV/AIDS病人的态度和开展艾防工作意愿等。结果 292人（80.9%）表示能像对待其他患者一样对待HIV/AIDS病人,或者可以为他们提供医疗卫生服务,没有歧视。多因素Logistic回归分析显示,近一年接受培训的天数（3-6天、7-14天和15天以上）、支持社区开展艾滋病防治工作的工作人员对HIV/AIDS病人歧视有显著性差异,比值比（OR）[95%可信区间（CI）]分别为3.96（1.10,14.25）、4.93（1.27,19.19）、10.33（1.86,57.42）、0.25（0.12,0.52）。结论社区卫生服务机构工作人员对HIV/AIDS病人依然存在歧视,当地卫生行政部门和疾控机构需要加强对社区医生的艾滋病防治知识、技能和职业暴露预防的培训,同时要提高其工作待遇,稳定基层防艾队伍。     

Parents and AIDS education.

The objective of this research was to study parents' attitudes toward AIDS education in schools. Questionnaires were mailed to employees in an industrial plant and a hospital in a city of 150,000 in Ontario, Canada. Two hundred and sixteen questionnaires from parents with children in schools were analyzed. Two thirds of the parents agreed that AIDS education should discourage premarital sex; whereas, 88% believed that AIDS education should teach about condoms. Pearson correlations and multiple regression were used to analyze hypotheses that tested attitudes toward AIDS education in the schools. Two predictor variables--attitude toward premarital intercourse and fear of casual contact of AIDS--were significantly correlated with all three measures of attitudes toward AIDS education in the schools. Church attendance and knowledge of AIDS were related to both attitudes toward discouraging premarital sex and teaching about condoms. Three multiple regression models were constructed to predict attitudes toward AIDS education in the schools. The final models accounted for between 11% and 33% of the variance.     

Misconceptions about transmission of AIDS and attitudes toward prevention in the French general public

A survey of the social perception of AIDS and its prevention was carried out in December 1987 in a representative sample of the adult population of the Paris region (France). A significant part of the general public still holds misconceptions about transmission by casual contact and blood donation. Misbeliefs about modes of transmission clearly encourage individuals' willingness to stigmatize AIDS patients and to support the most coercive measures of prevention (such as quarantine). Advertizing efforts to promote use of condoms, sexual education in schools, and systematic HIV screening for pregnant women are the only measures which create a broad consensus independently of sociocultural differences. Socioeconomic status and even religious or political beliefs strongly influence public opinions toward other preventive measures.     

Association between risk of acquiring HIV and beliefs and perceptions about the lived experience of HIV/AIDS among HIV-negative or untested men who have sex with men

The study aim was to assess whether the sexual behaviour of HIV-negative or untested men who have sex with men (MSM) was related to their perceptions of what it is like to live with HIV/AIDS, their beliefs or their attitudes to highly active antiretroviral treatments. Any unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) with casual partners was used as the sexual-risk indicator. The study enrolled 261 MSM. There were no significant differences between beliefs, attitudes and perceptions about HIV/AIDS, knowledge of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) or exposure to the HIV/AIDS epidemic among those who had had UAI with casual partners and those that had not (P>0.12). Those who considered that low levels of viral load and withdrawing before ejaculation reduced the risk of HIV transmission were significantly more likely to have had UAI with a casual partner (P=0.03). Only a minority of MSM engaging in UAI were optimistic about antiretroviral therapy. The study participants were in general pessimistic about life with HIV/AIDS despite their risk-taking sexual behaviour.     

Adolescent religiosity and attitudes to HIV and AIDS in Ghana

This study investigated the relationships between adolescent religiosity and attitudes to HIV/AIDS based on two major techniques of analysis, factor and regression analysis towards informing preventive school education strategies. Using cross-sectional data of 448 adolescents in junior high school, the study incorporated survey in a self-administered questionnaire and sought to identify underlying factors that affect pupils' responses, delineate the pattern of relationships between variables and select models which best explain and predict relationships among variables. A seven-factor solution described the ‘attitude’ construct including abstinence and protection, and six for ‘religiosity’. The results showed relatively high levels of religiosity and a preference for private religiosity as opposed to organisational religiosity. The regression analysis produced significant relationships between factors of attitudes to HIV/AIDS and of religiosity. Adolescent with very high private religiosity are more likely to abstain from sex but less likely to use condoms once they initiate: protection is inversely related to religiosity. The findings suggest that religious-based adolescent interventions should focus on intrinsic religiosity. Additionally, increasing HIV prevention information and incorporating culturally relevant and socially acceptable values might lend support to improved adolescent school-based HIV/AIDS prevention programmes.     

Teachers’ subjectivities and emotionality in HIV/AIDS teaching

Schools play a significant role in conveying essential knowledge, skills and attitudes about HIV and AIDS to millions of learners, and are therefore at the forefront of addressing the HIV/AIDS pandemic. This has resulted in a shift in HIV/AIDS research to focus on the crucial role of teachers in HIV prevention. This paper explores the influence of teachers’ subjectivities and emotionality on their teaching about HIV/AIDS. The paper draws on qualitative, narrative data gathered from five teachers teaching in a midlands town in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It finds that teachers’ subject positions play a significant role in presenting compassionate, supportive and knowledgeable subjectivities in the classroom; and that their positive and negative emotions pivotally influence their teaching about HIV/AIDS. We argue that it is vital to consider how teachers position themselves, as this is intricately linked with their teaching about HIV/AIDS, and we draw attention to teaching about HIV/AIDS as an emotional practice.     

性病门诊就诊者行为及艾滋病性病知识调查

目的 了解性病门诊就诊者的求医行为、出现性病相关症状后的性行为状况及其艾滋病性病相关知识态度水平。方法 2003年8月中旬连续2周时间，对前来北京市性病防治所就诊的325名性病门诊就诊者进行了问卷调查，调查采用不记名、面对面逐项询问的方式。结果 调查对象出现性病相关症状后3天内就诊者占24．7％。出现性病相关症状后继续有性生活者占43．2％，其中多性伴侣者占12.8％，平均性伴侣数为6．1，但无再与商业性伴侣发生性关系者。出现性病相关症状后与临时性伴侣的性生活平均为6．4次，坚持使用安全套者占22．2％，发生性关系时临时性伴侣知情者占15．0％。艾滋病传播知识全部回答正确者占27．3％。结论 调查对象的性病求医行为需要引导和促进。出现性病相关症状后仍具有较多的无保护性行为，且对方多不知情，存在着传播性病艾滋病的潜在危险。艾滋病性病传播、预防知识的知晓率水平均较低，应在该人群中加强宣传教育干预，开展自愿咨询检测，以降低危险性行为，遏制艾滋病性病的流行和传播。     

恩施土家族苗族自治州艾滋病流行病学特征及趋势分析

目的分析恩施土家族苗族自治州1995~2003年艾滋病流行病学特征和趋势,为制定艾滋病防治策略提供依据。方法对1995~2003年恩施土家族苗族自治州艾滋病流行病学调查和监测资料进行分析。结果1995~2003年共检出艾滋病病毒(HIV)感染者108例,艾滋病病人16例(已全部死亡)。108例HIV感染者中血液传播占87.04%,经性传播11.11%,母婴垂直传播1.85%。目前主要传播途径以血液传播为主,流行的HIV-1毒株为B’(泰国B)亚型。结论目前恩施土家族苗族自治州处在艾滋病流行的低感染阶段,当前预防与控制的重点是开展高危人群行为干预措施和艾滋病预防知识宣传。同时应注意控制艾滋病经性接触和静脉吸毒传播。     

College students' attitudes about AIDS: 1986 to 2000.

College students' attitudes about AIDS and people with AIDS (PWAs) were measured over a 15-year period. The AIDS Attitude Scale, designed by Shrum, Turner, and Bruce (1989; AIDS Education and Prevention, 1, 222-230), was administered to introductory psychology students (n = 1,571) at one midsized southeastern university, thus allowing direct comparison of attitudes over time. Overall tolerance about AIDS and PWAs has increased from 1986 to 2000 and robust gender differences in attitudes have been apparent over time, with females expressing more tolerant attitudes. Concerns about contagion from casual contact are diminishing as well and perceived knowledge about AIDS has increased over time. Perceptions about personal susceptibility to HIV remain low and show little relationship to attitudes about AIDS and PWAs. These data may be used to help refine HIV prevention programs for college students and provide an example of a useful approach to monitor changes in attitudes over time.     

Modelling the potential impact and cost of scaling-up male circumcision in resource poor settings: A case of Uganda

This study examines the possible association between the stimulant khat and risky sexual behaviour that might aggravate the spread of HIV. A community-based cross-sectional survey involving 4 000 individuals and focus group discussions were conducted to assess the attitudes and perceptions of an Ethiopian population towards the habit of khat-chewing and its possible association with risky sexual behaviour. All participants in the focus group discussions and 38% of the survey respondents were of the opinion that behaviours associated with the mild narcotic effects of khat are conducive to casual sex, and hence constitute an increased risk for contracting and spreading HIV. A significant shift towards casual sex practices was observed in response to the effects induced by the substance, and a strong association was observed between khat-chewing, indulgence in alcohol and recourse to risky sexual behaviours. There was no significant difference in the use or non-use of condoms among those male chewers who admitted resorting to casual sex after khat-chewing. We suggest that HIV/AIDS programmes in certain regions should address the habitual use of khat and other substances of potential abuse as part of their intervention efforts to curb the epidemic.     

AIDS risk knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions among multi-ethnic adolescents.

The purpose of this study was to determine how much young adolescents know about AIDS and AIDS risk and to identify areas of confusion that might serve as important targets of educational intervention. A multiethnic (43% white, 33% black, 18% Latino) sample of 303 seventh-grade students (48% male) in 3 schools in the greater New York area completed questionnaires assessing knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions concerning AIDS and AIDS risk. Consistent with previous studies with older adolescents, the major finding in this study was that young adolescents had a high degree of knowledge concerning AIDS and AIDS risk. There were 2 areas of confusion concerning AIDS risk. Specifically, 31% of adolescents did not correctly identify "not having sex" as the most effective way of preventing AIDS, and 33% believed that AIDS could be spread through casual contact. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for prevention.     

AIDS-related stigma and attitudes towards AIDS-infected people among adolescents

This research examined the co-occurrence of accurate and inaccurate knowledge about HIV transmission among adolescents. Analyses were also conducted to examine the way in which variables related to demographic factors, personal characteristics, parent and peer relationships, and school involvement are associated with attitudes towards HIV/AIDS-infected people. Social and psychological processes that contribute to AIDS-related stigma are also described. METHODS: Data were collected from the Portuguese sample of the 'Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children - 2002 - a collaborative WHO study'. The study provided data representative of 6137 Portuguese adolescents at national level. Based on these results, we conducted 14 focus groups discussions. RESULTS: Adolescents presented high levels of knowledge about HIV transmission. However, the proportion of young people who hold misperceptions is also high. A multiple regression analysis identified several associations with attitudes towards HIV-infected persons. The focus groups showed that adolescents believe that people with AIDS experienced discrimination and social exclusion. Adolescents' opinions for HIV-infected persons were mostly positive and tolerant, although some adolescents showed an ambivalent attitude and undefined fears. CONCLUSION: These findings have significant implications to implement and design comprehensive interventions with impact in adolescents' attitudes towards people with HIV/AIDS.     

Surgeons' attitudes toward HIV/AIDS in Turkey

Currently HIV/AIDS is one of the most difficult challenges for health care professionals. As primary medical care providers, attitudes of the physicians towards HIV/AIDS are of utmost significance. The aim of this research is to determine the attitudes of the surgeons towards HIV/AIDS in their working environment. Data were collected from a self-administered questionnaire given to 128 surgeons. Results revealed that gender, age and professional experience are not significant. This study demonstrated that doctors are worried about contracting HIV/AIDS from the patients. In some circumstances doctors' attitudes, are not clear which may lead to some ethical problems. It is concluded that doctors overestimate the risks and they need special education about HIV/AIDS, as well as professional help to handle their attitudes toward HIV/AIDS.     

AIDS stigma among inmates and staff in a USA state prison

We examined AIDS stigma among male inmates and male and female staff at a state prison in the southern region of the USA. Inmates and staff rated people with AIDS more negatively than someone with other diseases (diabetes, cancer, heart disease and high blood pressure). Inmates and staff were concerned about being treated differently if they tested seropositive. They also described AIDS stigma as a barrier to seeking HIV testing. Both instrumental (inaccurate beliefs about casual contact causing transmission of the virus) and symbolic factors (negative attitudes about injection drug use) predicted AIDS stigma. Negative attitudes about homosexuality predicted AIDS stigma among Caucasian prison staff and inmates, but not among African American staff and inmates. The results indicate the need to address HIV/AIDS stigma in developing HIV treatment, care and prevention programs in the prison environment.     

Awareness and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS among residents of Kandy,Sri Lanka

Currently, interventions for HIV/AIDS control in Sri Lanka are only carried out among the most-at-risk populations. This study was conducted to identify the level of awareness and stigma-related attitudes among the general population of Sri Lanka. A cross-sectional study was carried out among 869 residents of 18–64 years of age in Kandy, Sri Lanka. A self-administered questionnaire was utilised to obtain information about stigma, discrimination and HIV/AIDS-related knowledge. Chi-square test and multivariate analysis were applied to find possible associations between HIV-related variables and socio-demographic indicators. Response rate was 82.0%. Overall, 93.5% of the participants have heard of HIV/AIDS but the knowledge on HIV/AIDS was low with an average score of 51.7%, no statistically significant difference between genders (p = 0.352). Only 58.1% were aware that a condom was an effective tool for its prevention. There were many misconceptions related to epidemiology of HIV/AIDS. The participants showed more positive attitudes towards HIV/AIDS and people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) for all questionnaire items except for those listed under shame and blame. Positive attitudes towards PLHIV were observed to be greater among those with a better HIV/AIDS-related knowledge score. There was no significant association between the attitudes towards PLHIV and socio-demographic characteristics such as ethnicity and religion. There is a greater need of making attempts towards educating the public regarding HIV/AIDS to eliminate misconceptions prevalent in the society. Stigma-related attitudes are mainly due to shame and blame associated with the disease. As the attitudes towards PLHIV were more positive among those with a better HIV/AIDS-related knowledge score, targeted HIV/AIDS-related health education interventions maybe recommended in this regard.