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

XIV International AIDS Conference

Abstracts ThPeE7795-ThPeE7798 539

% with a mean of 1%, among pregnant women. This implies that nearly 4000
babies will be born with HIV each year. Infants infected during breast feeding will
add to the number. Counselling services for testing and ARV therapy for prevention of HIV from parent to children (PTCT) severely constrained by gender issues.
Main issues in counselling women include inability to maintain policy of informed
consent and confidentiality; inability of the women to take independent decision,
absence of couple counselling policy. In addition, many women visit the hospital
for the first time only upon onset of labour.
Methods: - Providing counseling services at government antenatal clinics.
- home visits for follow-up.
- Community counselling
Results: - Couples have penetrative sex through pregnancy and condoms are
not usually used
- A woman must have a baby soon after marriage to retain respect
- There is very poor knowledge about HIV transmission among young married
women
- Most women agree to test without understanding the significance
- Upon testing positive, women are stigmatized by their husband's families and
are suspected of having been unfaithful
- Women are unable to afford formula feed and are suspected of having AIDS if
they don't breast feed
- Women are unaware of the concept of exclusive breast feeding
- Home visits for follow up of infants increase stigma and discrimination of the
women
Conclusions:
- Review of informed consent procedures in VCTCs
- Couple counselling before the test, both partners to be tested at the same time.
- Promotion of understanding and practice of exclusive breast feeding practices.
- Avoiding home visits unless specifically requested.
Presenting author: Chitra Nsp, 4, 1 st street, Kamaraj avenue, Adyar, Chennai,
Tamilnadu, India, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: siaap
@eth.net
ThPeE7795 How gender roles and norms impact on
decision-making for the prevention of MTCT in
Northern Province, South Africa
N. Christofides, T. Khin San. Women's Health Project, School of Public Health
University of Witwatersrand, Women's Health Project, PO Box 1038,
Johannesburg, 2000, South Africa
Background: South Africa is faced with a rapidly increasing incidence of HIV infection. Research has shown that the primary mode of HIV transmission in South
Africa is heterosexual transmission. The next most important cause of HIV infection in South Africa is mother-to-child transmission (MTCT). In 2000, it was estimated that there were between 129,000 and 135,000 babies infected with HIV
living in South Africa. Extensive research has been conducted into the possible
prevention of MTCT. Three options for reduction in MTCT are recognised: providing the mother with antiretroviral drugs, elective cesarean section and other interventions regarding the time of delivery (limiting episiotomies, the use of vaginal
washes, etc) and choices regarding appropriate infant feeding practices. There
are 18 pilot sites in South Africa providing antiretroviral drugs (Nevirapine) to
mothers and newborn infants. Advice is given to mothers regarding infant feeding.
Research exploring the role of men in the decision making process has been neglected. Unequal power relations between women and men influence the decision
making process around voluntary counselling and testing, taking an antiretroviral
and feeding practices. This study conducted in the Northern Province (rural area)
explores men's knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, perceptions of social norms with
regard to VCT, antiretrovirals and infant feeding.
Methods: Ethnographic study Focus groups and in-depth interviews with men in
Sekhukunye, Northern Province. Thematic analysis.
Results: Analysis is being finalised. The findings from this study will inform local
community-based interventions addressing women and men, and inform policy
regarding the implementation of MTCT services in South Africa.
Presenting author: Nicola Christofides, Women's Health Project, P0 Box 1038,
Johannesburg, 2000, South Africa, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone],
E-mail: nicolac@ mail.saimr.wits.ac.za
ThPeE7796 Beliefs about condom use in a sample of sexually
active Spanish teenagers
M. Lameiras Fernandez, Y. Rodriguez Castro, M. Gonzalez Lorenzo.
Universidad de Vigo, Universidad de Vigo, Campus de Ourense, Facultad de
Ciencias de Ia Educaci6n, As Lagoas s/n 32004 Ourense, Spain
Background: The teenagers have emerged as a risk group for HIV acquisition.
The aim of this research is to assess the level of condom use and to identify the
main beliefs related to their systematically use.

Methods: The sample consists of 315 sexually active students (55.6 % boys and
44.6 % girls) of Secondary Schools of Spain. The average age was 18.27 (S.D.=
2.75). These participants represent 23.8 % of the total of the interviewed youths
(n=1323). Participants completed a questionnaire packet that contains measures
of sexual behaviour, level use of birth-control methods and beliefs about condom
use.
Results: The results show that 48.1 % of the sexually active students use con
dom systematically. Boys use the condom more often than girls. There is a great
association of the condom as a contraceptive method rather than preventive, as
the pill takes the place of condom when the relationships is carried out steady.
The condom use for boys increase when they think that condom doesn't interfere
with the sexual pleasure and for girls are related to have sex without taking any
risk.
Conclusions: We have to recognise the important effect of individual motivations
in the condom use and they are mediated by gender. The programs developed to
increase the condom use have to include these differences between genders.
Presenting author: Maria Lameiras Fernandez, Universidad de Vigo, Campus de Ourense, Facultad de Ciencias de la Educaci6n, As Lagoas s/n 32004
Ourense, Spain, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: lameiras
@uvigo.es
ThPeE7797I Rural origin women and HIV/AIDS infection in
Mexico: An empowerment proposal for prevention
L.IC. Saldivar-Garduho. Universidad Autdnoma Metropolitana - lztapalapa, Av
San Rafael Atlixco 186, Colonia Vicentina, Delegaci6n lztapalapa, C.P 09340
Mexico, D. F, Mexico
Issues: The number of cases of HIV infection among Mexican women born in
rural communities has been increased in an alarming way in the recent years.
One important factor to understand this problem is the international immigration
of a big number of Mexican men to the United States of America. Together with
this, gender roles assigned to women and men contribute to the wrong perception
these women have about their own risk.
Descriptions: AIDS is in Mexico the third death cause among male population
and the sixth among women. The number of infected people in rural communities
has been increased because of its dissemination from big cities to places with
less population and also because the migrant workers' return to visit their families
each year, many of them, infected with HIV. Five of each hundred women infected
with HIV are rural women, mainly via sexual intercourse with their spouses.
Lessons learned: The policies implemented to cope with this problem have had
a limited successful. Up today, giving information using the mass media and medical counseling has not been enough to make women sensible to their own risk,
so they neither practice prevention nor self care strategies. Also, they are not able
to make decisions about their bodies and their sexuality, because prevalent gender stereotypes. So, they can no negotiate with their spouses safe sex practices
because of this lack of power.
Recommendations: We need to study this phenomenon taking into consideration the social, economical, political, social and cultural context where it occurs.
Also, we have to consider the importance of women's role in specific societies
and their influence in their health and their entire well being. We propose an intervention model to work this factors with rural women, trying to empower them and
to turn them in assertive beings able to reject risky practices and to enjoy their
sexual relationships.
Presenting author: Alicia Saldivar-Garduho, Av. San Rafael Atlixco 186, Colonia Vicentina, Delegaci6n Iztapalapa, C.R 09340 M6xico, D. F, Mexico, Tel.:
[phone] & [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected].
mx
ThPeE7798I Masculinity, mortality and risk
S. Kippax, J. Crawford, J. Abelson, S. Lambevski. National/ Centre in HIV Social
Research, National Centre in HIV Social Research, University of New South
Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Background: This study examines the relationship between risk-taking, experience of death and illness, and masculinity Masculinity discourses position men
as risk managers and risk-takers, in control and out of it, and as rational and
vulnerable.
Methods: Heterosexual, gay and bisexual men, were recruited from gyms, nightclubs, and social and political organisations from two cities in Australia experiencing the greatest impact of AIDS. 1400 men completed a self-complete questionnaire seeking information relating to risk management, risk-taking, sexual behaviour, experience of illness and death, drug use, goals in life, and emotions.
A multivariate analysis explored the relationship between indices of masculinity,
experiences of mortality and risk-taking.
Results: Risk-taking (including using illicit drugs and taking sexual risks) was
significantly related to a greater experience of death among relatives, friends and
colleagues, and greater personal experience of injury and illness. Also related to
risk-taking was being of younger age, and having the life goals of 'having fun'
and 'geffing rich'. While neither sexual identity nor HIV status was independently
related to risk taking, being involved in team sports and self-labelling as 'ocker'
and 'surfie', both predominantly heterosexual attributes, were.
Conclusions: The complexity of the relationship between masculinity and mortality needs acknowledgement. While it is often assumed that those who experience

death among friends and colleagues are more prudent in their risk-taking, particular forms of masculinity, especially those associated with sport and physicality,
appear to override such prudence and indeed make men less cautious.
Presenting author: Susan Kippax, National Centre in HIV Social Research, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia, Tel.: [phone],
Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]