Abstract Book Vol. 2 [International Conference on AIDS (14th: 2002: Barcelona, Spain)]

XIV International AIDS Conference

Abstracts WePeE6584-WePeE6587 229

Pacific Islanders (APIs), 110 Latinas] were interviewed, using a structured survey
questionnaire.
Results: Qualitative analysis revealed that mental health and psychological well
being emerged as the most frequently mentioned issues and most widely shared
health needs. Drug use was a common way to cope with depression. Poor selfimage, depression, and suicidal thought and attempt were related with their experience of social oppression and stigma against them, and in turn, related to HIV
risk behaviors. Quantitative analysis revealed high HIV prevalence rates (42%
African Americans, 23% Latinas, and 13%APIs), STDs (24%), and tuberculosis
(13%). Over one half of the sample (57%) reported having sex while under the
influence of drugs during the past 30 days. A logistic regression revealed that HIV
positive status is significantly correlated with African American (OR = 4.43 to API);
testing positive for an STD (OR = 4.30), age, having a full-time job (OR = 0.32),
and having multiple casual sex partners during the past 6 months (OR = 0.46).
Conclusions: HIV prevention programs should address transgenders' psychological needs in broader social and psychological contexts, including poverty, drug
addiction, gender and racial discrimination, and unemployment.
Presenting author: Tooru Nemoto, CAPS/UCSF, 74 New Montgomery St. Suite
500, San Francisco, CA 94105, United States, Tel.: +[phone], Fax: +(415)
597-9125, E-mail: [email protected]
WePeE6584 Implementing an hiv-aids prevention and control
program among street children in metro manila
philippines: issues and prospects
F.M.F. Nerida. Center for Multidisciplinary Studies on Health and Development,
Manila, Philippines
Background: It is estimated that there are around 1.5million street children in the
Philippines 100,000 of which are prostituted. Poverty has lead them to work on
the busy roads of the metropolis to earn money for their family instead of going to
school. Due to their street based occupations, many of them are prone to suffer
from many diseases including STD, HIV and AIDS. Their lack of access to correct
information to the perils of HIV/AIDS infection make them vulnerable and susceptible to this disease. The aim of this study was to assess and determine the level
of awareness of these street children on HIV/AIDS infection - transmission and
prevention.
Methodology: Ethnographic interview was used in this study. Thirty respondents
were conveniently recruited. Interview was conducted where most respondents
were commonly seen.
Results: While the results showed a high level of awareness with regards to the
transmission of HIV (57.3%), low scores were reported in prevention particularly
on safer sex practices (32.3%). Generally, there is low and selective condom use
(28.6%) particularly with their regular partner and with their customers (35.6%).
They also said that the constant use of antibiotics will treat HIV-AIDS infection.
Moreover, they maintained that the risk of contracting HIV-AIDS can be reduced
through a careful selection of clients and intermittent sex.
Conclusion: In educating street children on the perils of STD/HIV and AIDS infections, the key message of safer sex practices must be greatly emphasized
like the correct and consistent use of condom with both their regular and casual
partners. Also, there's a need to provide the children with correct information on
STD/HIV and AIDS prevention and control.
Presenting author: Francis Martin Nerida, 19-1 Lopez Jaena St., Magsaysay Village, Tondo, Manila, 2500 Philippines, Philippines, Tel.: [phone], E-mail:
[email protected]
WePeE6585 Characteristics of sex workers and their
perceptions of reliability of HIV/AIDS information
sources
E.J. Essien1, M.W. Ross2, M.L. Williams2, M. Fernandezesquer2. 1The HIV
Prevention Center, Texas Southern University Houston, TX, United States;
2University of Texas, Houston, United States
Background: Research on persuasion has shown that the effectiveness of HIV
behavioral change information is related to the recipient's perceptions of reliability
of the information source. This study examined the characteristics of sex workers
and their perceptions of reliability of HIV/AIDS information sources.
Methods: Data for the present analysis came from a larger community-based,
anonymous survey that was conducted in Houston, Texas.
Results: From a sample of 1,500 street intercept interviews (29.8% African American, 29.9% Hispanic and 20.0% White), over a quarter of respondents indicated
that they traded sex for money (13.0%), drugs (5.9%) or gifts/favor (6.5%) as
their primary source of income. Comparisons between the groups (i.e., trading
sex for money, drugs, or gifts/favor) and those who did not trade sex as a primary source of income indicated that trading sex for money and for drugs was
significantly more common among white and Hispanic respondents compared to
African American and Asian American respondents. Trading sex for drugs was

more common among males than females, and among those in age group 30-39.
Most common sources of HIV-related information for those trading sex for money
or for drugs were friends and Television whereas for those exchanging sex for
gifts/favors they were doctors offices and newspapers. Those exchanging sex for
money also indicated that government agencies were a major source of information. All three categories of sex traders were less likely than non-sex traders to
see government sources as a reliable source of HIV information.

Conclusion: These data suggest that there are distinctions not only between sex
traders and non-traders on demographic characteristics and sources of HIV/AIDS
information, but also there are differences within the categories of sex traders
which are important in targeting information. (Research supported by NIH grant
#03045-11).
Presenting author: Ekere James Essien, The HIV Prevention Center, Texas
Southern University, 3100 Cleburne Avenue, Houston, Texas 77004, United
States, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]
WePeE6586 HIV positive victims of trafficking in women in
Ukraine. Activity of Crisis Center for migrant sex
workers living with HIV/AIDS
M. Vasylyev. Regional SALUS Foundation, Lviv, Ukraine
Issues: Every year thousands of women from Ukraine are brought to different
countries to work illegally on general in sex business. According to data given by
the international organization of Migration (IOM) there are 500 000 women victims of trafficking in Ukraine 15% of them are HIV positive, many of them are not
tested. The women become the property of pimps. And often pimps make them
have sex with clients without condoms. These women later work as prostitutes in
highways and in the streets or they are send into bars and clubs and they could
spread HIV and STI's.
Description: One of the SALUS Foundation activities is a woman Crisis Center
for victims of trafficking and rape with HIV/AIDS. It was organized with the support
of the International Renaissance Foundation and established in Lviv in December
1996.Center provides women and girls victims of trafficking and rape with medical
and psychological care and diagnostics of STIs and HIV.
Every year center has from 60 to 100 visitors on general migrant sex workers
and victims of trafficking 5-10% of them get HIV. Their number increases from
year to year. They get information about our service from their colleagues who
have already visited the center or thanks to foreign NGOs dealing with the same
problems.
Lessons learned: When these women return back to Ukraine they are in very
difficult situation: financial and psychological problems, often they have no place
to live and the most important one they have serious problems with health and no
money for testing.
Recommendation: The city of Lviv is situated on crossroad of routs leading from
Central to Eastern Europe. Usually women returning home from Central European countries cross Lviv or spend there some time. Sometimes they address to
the Crises Center asking shelter. In such cases we have problems because we
have any possibilities to accommodate them. In future we are going to develop
safe place where migrate sex workers could stay for a while.
Presenting author: Marta Vasylyev, Regional SALUS Foundation, 79000 Lviv,
PO Box 320, Ukraine, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail:
salus@ mail.lviv.ua
WePeE6587 Assessment of psychological repercussion of
AIDS next to 354 AIDS orphans in Brazzaville
J. Makaya1, F.F. Mboussou2, T. Bansimba2, H. Ndinga2, S. Latifou3,
A. Ambendet3, M.F Puruehnce4. 1 Case J 043 V OCH Moungali Ill, Brazzavill;
2Medecins DAfrique, Brazzaville; 3 UNICEF Brazzaville; 4 Programme National
de Lutte contre le Sida, Brazzaville, Congo
Background: The problem of AIDS orphans constitute one of disastrous consequences of AIDS. In Congo, we have estimated at 64.000 the number of children having lost their mothers or both parents for AIDS since the beginning of
epidemic. The psychological adaptation difficulties have been noticed among orphans. Those can compromise the harmonious development of orphans' personality and increase their vulnerability in front of HIV/AIDS.
Methods: We have proceeded to listing of children who have lost one of parents
for AIDS between January 1998 to September 2001, with the programme "Caring
of AIDS orphans in Brazzaville" financed by UNICEF-CONGO.
Between October 10 to December 30, 2001, we have proceeded to systematic
psychological examination of listed orphans. The consultations were done by
three clinicians psychologists. The psychological examination was made of series
of interviews concentrated around the living of parents' disease, the psychological
repercussion of the parents' death and the child's new social situation.
We have assessed the stage of the child's psychological development and researched the being of psychological troubles or a pathology.
None psychological test was used for the detection of troubles. Teen-agers orphans sexually active have systematically benefited from prevention counselling.
Results: On amount of 3377 AIDS orphans listed, 354 have benefited from psychological consultation of detection during the study period. There were 140 boys
and 214 girls. The sex-ratio boys/girl was 1/1.5. Children were from 4 to 18 years
old, among them 217 (61.3%) were less than 15 years old and 137 (38.7%) were
from 15 to 18 years old. 223 children (63.0%) were orphans from both parents.

Shortly, 71 orphans presented psychological troubles (20.1%), they were affective troubles (depression, anxiety, irritability, heterosexuality, rivalry feeling) within
24 cases (33.8%), adaptation troubles (school or home fugue, robbery tendency,
offending and hyper kinetic behaviour within 18 cases (26.8%) and the posttraumatic stress within 28 cases (39.4%). The psychological troubles have been
observed with the total orphans: 50 cases (70.4%) versus 21 cases (29.6%) with
the orphans of one parent.