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

208 Abstracts 14129-14133

12th World AIDS Conference

cluded from analyses. The interaction between SO, HIV status and risk behaviour
was through measures of 1) index score on overall condom use, 2) frequency of
penetrative practices, and 3) total number of casual partners. Two-factor anova
indicated a significant main effect for SO (F (2, 142) = 5.110, p < 0.007) and a
significant interaction between SO and MV status on overall condom use (F (2,
142) = 5.527, p < 0.005). On frequency of penetrative practices, there was a
significant main effect for SO (F (2, 212) = 7.029, p < 0.001) and a significant
interaction between SO and HIV status (F (2, 212) = 3.665, p < 0.027).
See table below for the mean scores on measures of risk behaviour.
Risk behaviour measures HIV- HIV+
HE HO BI HE HO BI
Overall condom use 21.53 7.16 6.65 2.10 6.52 6.65
Frequency of penetrative practices 27.23 10.20 12.69 12.69 11.74 16.17
Conclusions: The HE HIV- group reported on two important measures of sexual risk behaviour (overall condom use and frequency of penetrative practices).
It suggests that this group is unaware of the potential risk of HIV and AIDS and
may have been neglected by HIV prevention programmes. Intervention strategies
focusing on this specific population are urgently needed in Brazil.
14129 1 High risk sexual practices among university students in
Colombia
Carlos Fajardo', R. Garcia-Bernal2, W.I. Klaskala2, M.K. Baum2. 1 Calle 93 b No.
16-08 A.A. 95226 Santa Fe De Bogota, Colombia; 2University of Miami School
of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
Objective: To describe STD/HIV related risk behavior patterns, including sex
practices, and drug and alcohol abuse among university students in Bogota,
Colombia.
Methods: In 1996, a risk behavior survey was designed to assess sexual
practices among students attending 14 universities in Bogota metropolitan area.
A total of 4,080 self-administered questionnaires were completed and included in
the analysis.
Results: Of the 4,080 responses, more than half (57%) were provided by men.
Most of the students (median age 22 yr.) were single (94%). When asked about
the number of their lifetime sex partners they provided the following answers: 22%
claimed virginity, 63% claimed having one to four sex partners, and the remainder
reported more than five previous partners. Among males, 38% admitted having
at least one sexual encounter with prostitute while an additional 7% had sex
with more than 10 prostitutes. One out of ten male students reported previous
homosexual experiences. Of those, 3% stated they had more than ten different
male sex partners in their lifetime. Among women, 36% acknowledged practicing
anal sex. Almost all respondents (93%) admitted having sexual intercourse under
influence of alcohol. One out of four students (25%) reported using drugs at least
once in their life. The most popular was marijuana (83%), then cocaine (32%) and
heroine (2%). Vast majority (90%) said that use of drugs was usually associated
with sexual activity. Few individuals (3%) reported previous episodes of STDs.
Of those, one third was seen by physician, 64% were treated by pharmacists
and 4% used self-prescribed medications. Frequent condom use was reported
by 24% of respondents.
Conclusion: Promiscuity, alcohol and drug abuse, anal sex, along with inconsistent condom use put the university students at risk for contracting STDs
including HIV infection. There is a need for behavioral risk-reduction interventions
aimed at this specific population group.
14130 Assessing the health behaviors of medical students in
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Nelson Spector1, V.F.L. Araujo2, I. Biasoli3, M. Nucci4, W. Pulcheri5.
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Maria Angelica 326/501, Jardin
Botanico 22461-150, RJ, Brazil
Background: It is often said that current medical students have a high-risk health
behavior, with frequent and short-lived sexual relationships, low use of condoms
and common drug abuse. We sought to determine their true health behaviors and
verify whether they change as the students advance through medical school.
Methods: Students answered and returned a questionnaire without identification, immediately before taking school exams. Answers were obtained from
every class in our medical school, which has a six-year curriculum. Veterans were
defined as students in the last 2 years.
Results: 610 questionnaires were answered, 53% by males. Tobacco is smoked
by 17% of the students, 65% of whom smoke less than 10 cigarretes/day. Alcohol
consumption was denied by 33%. Weekend-only alcohol consumption is 1-2
doses in 39%, 3-6 doses in 17% and over 6 doses in 7%. Other 4% drink on
many days of the week. Smoking and drinking is similar among veterans and
younger students. Illicit drugs have never been used by 77% of the students.
Drug use in the last six months was reported by 12%, being more common in
males and in veterans, and consisting of marihuana in 12% and cocaine in 1.5%.

Sexual intercourse during the last 12 months were reported by 82%. Among
them, the median number of sexual partners in this one-year period was 1 (1-20);
only 4% had over 5 partners. Condom is always used by 53%, and used by new
partners in another 40%, being higher in males and in younger students. Only
3 students are homosexuals. The median duration of the students' relationships
was 9 months (0.25-84). There was a strong correlation between tobacco, alcohol and drug use. Moreover, any of these habits identifies a population with a

higher-risk sexual behavior. Exercise is practiced by 70%, during a median of 4
hours/week.
Conclusion: The large majority of medical students display healthy behaviors.
Their sexual life is conservative, and condom use is now a standard. The knowledge acquired during medical school apparently does not influence their personal
habits.
114131 AIDS prevention program targeting hairdressers and
men's sexual behavior in this group
Ricardo Luque. CALLE 37 No. 13-34 Apartamento 301, Santafe De Bogota D.
C., Colombia
Issue: Since some occupations are more tolerant of homosexuals, many gay
men become hairdressers. We chose this population as means to reach Men
who have Sex with Men (MSM) with education about AIDS and to compare their
sexual behavior with the sexual behavior of heterosexual men (HTSM).
Project: We carried out seven AIDS workshops in 7 different cities targeted
to 140 hairdressers' leaders; the 2 days workshops emphasized on Information,
Education & Communication (IEC), peer education, safer sex and issues about
homosexuality. After that, each leader had the task to educate 100 some other
people. We gave them educational materials including 140 video - tapes, 14.000
brochures aimed to gay men and 14.000 condoms.
Results: The average Knowledge scores, for the community leaders, arose
from 6.43 to 11.75 over 15. (Regression Analysis: Student's t = 11.58. Table's
t = 2.681, v = 0.01.) and the community scores arose from 7.5 to 8.8 over 10.
(Regression Analysis: Student's t = 4.06. Table's t = 3.74, v = 0.01) Both series
have a 99% of liability. Regarding sexual behavior 47 men from the trained leaders
agreed to answer 5 questions about sexual behavior. 61.70% were MSM and
38.3% Heterosexual men (HTSM). There were significant differences in condom
use in the last sexual intercourse, only 38.8% of HTSM use it, vs. 58.6% of use in
MSM. 16.7% of HTSM and 38% of MSM didn't have a steady partner at that time.
There were no significant differences in the number of partners or the number
of sexual intercourses in the last month. Among the reasons why MSM don't
use condoms are lack of them at the time of sexual intercourse (42.85%) and
drug use (14.28%). For straight men the reasons were lack of condoms 25% and
confidence in their partners 75%.
Lessons Learned: This was a good strategy for reaching Men having sex with
men. The educational approach showed to be successful and the sexual behavior
survey, is a good tool for impact evaluation of the AIDS prevention Programs.
14132 A survey of knowledge, attitude, beliefs and practices
(KABP) about AIDS among healthcare workers in Enugu
State of Nigeria
Ekperechi Amadi, Malachy Okeke. APCO Incorporated 46, Zik Avenue Box
Uwani 4164 Box Enugu, Nigeria
Objectives: To assess the knowledge, attitude and behaviour about AIDS among
healthcare professionals in Enugu State of Nigeria.
Design: Stratified, Randomised Study
Method: 367 healthcare workers including 25 doctors, 276 nurses and 66 medical laboratory technologists responded to a KABP questionnaire. Comparison of
responses among doctors, nurses and laboratory technologists were analysed
using Chi Square (X2) test and 3 x 1 Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test. The
relationship between knowledge, attitude and practices were determined using
pearsons product moment correlation coefficient (r).
Results: There is a high level of AIDS knowledge among respondents; 326
(88.8%) of the healthcare workers could recognise the three modes of HIV transmission. However there are disturbing misconceptions with 20.7% and 48.5%
stating that HIV could be transmitted through food and water respectively. 236
(64.3%) of respondents stated that they are afraid of attending to HIV/AIDS
patients while 71.1% indicated their unwilliness to nurse an AIDS patient. Pre and
Post test counselling were relatively non existent. 63.8% of respondents disclose
HIV test result without the patients consent. AIDS knowledge and attitude were
significantly different among the three cadres of health professionals (a = 1%.
Conclution: Knowledge about HIV and AIDS among the healthcare workers
have not translated into positive attitude to HIV sero positive individuals/AIDS
patients. Fear, apathy and unwillingness to care for the infected still prevails in
most health institutions in Enugu State of Nigeria.
| 14133 An HIV/AIDS KABP survey conducted in Ninhbinh
Province, Vietnam
Quang Thuan Tran1, D.T. Nguyen2, H.Y. Vu2, N.Q. Mai3. 1138 Giang Vo, Hanoi
10000; 2National AIDS Committe of Vietman, Hanoi; 3GTZ, Hn Vietmanoi, Vietman
Objectives: To carry out a baseline knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices
(KABP) survey on HIV/AIDS prevention among general adult population aged
15-49.

Methods: The study population was stratified into rural/urban. Respondents
were selected using a multistage sampling technique in each area. Total number
of respondents for the survey is 720 (360 respondents were in the rural area and
360 respondents were in the urban area).
Results: The result indicated that there was no statistically significant difference on AIDS prevention behaviors between rural and urban areas. 91.7% of
respondents cited at least two acceptable ways of protection from HIV infec