Bridging the Gap: Conference Record [Abstract book, International Conference on AIDS (12th: 1998: Geneva, Switzerland)]

12th World AIDS Conference

Abstracts 14124-14128 207

with regard to their HIV/AIDS awareness & knowledge, sexual and health seeking
behaviour, condom usage and STD history.
Results: Detailed patterns of sexual behaviour including frequency of multi
partner activities and types of sex practiced (oral, vaginal etc) socio economic
characterisitics and other issues related to sex and sexuality were unearthed. This
enables the development of wholistic sustainable interventions that are gender
sensitive and participatory in nature.
Lessons Learned: Contrary to traditional belief sexually transmitted diseases
and sex with multiple partners are common even in the rural and peri-urban parts
of Tamilnadu. This underlines the urgency for HIV prevention activities outside of
the major metros like Chennai.
S14124 1 A cross-national analysis of female adolescent sexual
risk: Comparative results from Mauritius and Sri Lanka
Stephen L. Schensul1, J.J. Schensul2. 1University of Connecticut School of
Medicine Farmington, CT 06032-6330; 2Institute for Community Research
Hartford CT, USA
Objectives: To generate cross-nationally supportable results obtained from research, intervention and evaluation projects using comparable methodology
among female adolescent and young adult sub-populations in two countries:
Hindu, Creole and Muslim young women workers in the Mauritius Export Processing Zone; and Sinhalese Buddhist, Hindu Tamil and Muslim residents of a
low income urban community in Sri Lanka.
Design: Formative research, baseline data collection, intervention, and process
and summative evaluation.
Methods: In each of the projects the following methodology was utilized:
key informant interviewing; unstructured observation; semi-structured interviews;
consensus modeling; survey questionnaires; design and implementation of smallgroup, peer intervention projects; and pre-post testing of intervention outcomes.
Results: In each of the three populations the research identified the following
common elements: (1) a culturally-based sequence of participation in sexual behaviors using Guttman Scale analysis (coefficients of reproducibility ranging from.91 to.96); (2) correlates of sexual behavior and risk which show the importance
of peers in knowledge, attitudes and facilitation of behavior; (3) Sociocultural and
empowerment limitations on "women's ways of knowing" producing increased risk
for young women regardless of their level of sexual activity; (4) Documentation,
with pre-post data of the utility of peer-directed education, particularly with regard
to young women; and (5) the productivity of involvement of youth in the research
and design of intervention process.
Conclusion: Female adolescent sexual risk is a product of gender relationships, behavior, knowledge and self-efficacy in the context of family, peer, and
work/school. Approaches to sexual risk reduction can be successful if they are
based on a solid understanding of female-male adolescent sexual behavior and
utilize intervention approaches which address empowerment, participation, skill
development, and gender equity.
14125 Deep attitudes and behaviors affecting HIV/AIDS risk in
Vietnam
Duy Tung Nguyen1, Q.T. Tran1, H.Y. Vu1, T.K. Ngo2, E.M. Christophel3.
'National AIDS Committee of Vietnam, 138 Giang VO, 10000 Hanoi; 2Care
International In Vietnam, Hanoi; 3G TZ, Hanoi, Vietnam
Objective: To identify deep attitudes and behaviors affecting HIV/AIDS risk in
Hanoi city, Vietnam and develop appropriate communication activities.
Methods: Young people in Hoan kiem district, Ha noi, Vietnam were segmented
by age and sex and interviewed using a qualitative, focus group discussion
methodology.
Results: This research confirmed the findings of the National KABP survey
that Vietnamese generally understand the facts of AIDS, agree with the National
guidelines for prevention such as "one wife - one husband" and "condom for
AIDS prevention" and believe traditional values will protect them from HIV/AIDS.
However, this study invents deeply-held attitudes and behaviors keep youth people at risk. Generally they have basic knowledge, know how and believe that they
can to protect themselves but some of them think that they can be infected by
simple contact. They do not know about STD. They afraid that it is very difficulty
to live with HIV positive peoples. These youth at risk of HIV because a part of
them have ever use drug and have unprotected intercourse before married. They
know that condom can prevent them from HIV and where to buy but no condom
use is reported.
These youth would like to received HIV/AIDS information from TV, book,
newspaper and group talks and from the school program.
Conclusion: This research finding deep attitudes and behaviors affecting
HIV/AIDS risk of youth in Hanoi. Their attitudes and behaviors are not revealed
by official KABP survey but come to light with qualitative research. These finding
will be used to develop a peer education program for youth funded by GTZ
in-collaboration with the National AIDS Bureau of Vietnam and also be used by
NAC as evident to convinces authority organizations that gender education in the

school is important activity for AIDS prevention.

14126 HIV/STD prevention indicators and sexual behaviour of
the general population of Slovenia
Irena Klavs1, L.C. Rodrigues2, D. PiSkur Kosma63, I. Svab. 'Institute of Public
Health Trubarjeva 2 1000 Ljubljana; 3Ministry of Health, Ljubljana, Slovenia;
2London School of Hygiene & Tropical Med., London, UK
Objectives: We wanted to obtain baseline estimates for some HIV/STD preventive indicators, proposed by former World Health Organisation Global Programme
for AIDS.
Methods: In 1995 and 1996 a total of 1840 men and 2719 women aged 15
to 45 years, randomly selected from the general population, who were enrolled
into the fertility survey, were asked to privately complete a short anonymous, self
administered questionnaire and post it to the research team. Descriptive analysis
of the data was conducted with statistical package EPIINFO6.
Results: We received 659 completed questionnaires from men and 1306 from
women, resulting in response rate of 38% among male and 48% among female
participants of the fertility survey. At least 2 acceptable ways of protection from
HIV infection were cited by 82% male and 83% female respondents. Among respondents reporting regular sexual partner during last 12 months, 13% men and
7% women reported sex with at least one other partner during this period. Among
those only 17% of men and 19% of women reported condom use for the last
sexual intercourse "at risk" with this other partner. Among all men respondents
5% reported at least one urethritis episode during last 12 months.
Discussion: Results must be interpreted with caution. The response rate was
extremely low and self reported data was not evaluated for validity. Participation and social desirability biases may have occurred. However, first baseline
estimates for several HIV/STD prevention indicators were obtained.
Conclusions: Men were more likely to report sex with at least one other
partner then their regular partner during last 12 months then women, 13% and
7% respectively. Reported condom use for last sexual intercourse at risk was
strikingly low, 17% for male and 19% for female respondents. Better targeted
condom use promotion campaigns are needed.
14127 To evaluate the community risks of HIV epidemic using
sentinel behavioural surveillance
Teresa Man Yan Choi1, K.H. Wong1, E.Y.Y. Lai1, K.M. Ho2, S.S. Lee1. 'AIDS
Unit 5/F Yaumatei JCC 145 Battery Street, Yaumatei Kowloon; 2Social Hygiene
Service, Hong Kong
Background: HIV risk behaviours have been monitored in sentinel groups including STD clinic attendees and illicit drug users. This study evaluated the community
behavioural risks for HIV epidemic.
Methods: Behavioural risks of STD clients were measured (1) as a baseline
using a full-version questionnaire in two waves from 95 to 96, followed by (2) serial
monitoring with a simplified version since late 1996 on annual basis. Behavioural
risks in community illicit drug users were monitored in methadone programme
participants on admission interviews and supplemented by the surveys in those
admitted for inpatient treatment. Variables collected included partner exchange,
condom use, injecting drug use and needle-sharing rates.
Results: A total of 3244 full-version questionnaires were collected from STD
clinic clients and 1294 and 1565 simplified version were collected in 96 and 97.
From 1990 to 1996, 9545 questionnaires were returned from methadone programme participants and 12599 from inpatient drug treatment centres. Partner
exchange in STD patients in the baseline studies were at a median of 3-4 (range
2-10) partners per year for males and 1 for non-commerical-sex-worker females.
Eighty-two percent of males had paid sex (versus non-paid) in their last sex with
non-regular sex partners. Only half of the vaginal sex with non-regular partners
were protected with condoms, and one third reported never used condoms.
Among the community drug users, injecting drug use ranged between 19.5% to
26.4%. The needle-sharing rate (in the injecting drug users) rose to 12.6% in 96
despite a continuing decrease from 10.5% to 5.1% from 90 to 95 (p < 0.05). The
downward trend of needle-sharing rates in those admitted to inpatient treatment
continue had been continued (22.9% in 91 to 4.2% in 96).
Conclusions: Behavioural surveillance demonstrated persistent behavioural
risks in the community in terms of high commercial sex use rates, poor condom
use, and recent rising needle-sharing rates. Despite the selection bias inherent
to the sentinel surveillance, the system is sensitive to identify priority areas for
targetted intervention for the territory wide AIDS programme.
S14128 Sexual risk behaviour: Relationship between sexual
orientation and HIV status
Elvira M. Ventura-Filipe1, S.P. Newman2. 1Health Department of Sao Paulo
State, Rua Frei Caneca 1140, 01307-002 Sao Paulo;, Brazil; 2University college
London, London, UK
Objectives: To investigate the effect of the interaction between sexual orientation
(SO) and HIV status on sexual risk behaviour.
Design: Cross-sectional study.

Methods: A sample of 236 males recruited from public centres for AIDS
treatment and HIV testing in Sao Paulo, Brazil was interviewed regarding: demographic, psycho-social and situational factors, and sexual behaviour with regular
and casual female and male partners within the previous three months.
Results: Of the total sample, 150 (63.5%) were HIV- and 86 (36.4%) were
HIV+. Ninety-eight (41.51/6) were homosexuals (HO), 80 (33.8%) heterosexuals
(HE), 41 (17.3%) bisexuals (BI), and 17 (7.2%) were travestis. The latter were ex