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

XIV International AIDS Conference

Abstracts ThPeE7840-ThPeE7844 549

Conclusions: Constructions of masculinity are diverse. While machismo is discursively stigmatised in most contexts (and it adopts a globalised equity formulation), what is understood as such tends to exclude actual norms,and traditional
gender roles are still commonly enacted. Sexual health implications of this finding
will be discussed.
Presenting author: Percy Fernandez Davila, Av Armendariz 445, Lima 18, Lima,
Peru, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]
ThPeE7840 Gender and vulnerability to the HIV: how do the
concepts about masculinity influence heterosexual
men vulnerability?
I.C.Z. Guerriero. Sao Paulo Health Department and NEPA/DS/USR Rua
Francisco Borges de Faria, 137, Zip code 05359-010, Brazil
Issues: This study investigates how the social construction of masculinity influences the heterosexual men vulnerability to the HIV.
Description: Men employees from a bus company went through individual interviews to list characteristics considered masculine and to check their knowledge on STD/AIDS. There were workshops on safe sex, reproduction and
STD/AIDS. The result was divided into themes for analysis and then into other
categories.
Lessons learned: Characteristics considered masculine influence men's vulnerability to the HIV. Characteristics such as being strong, audacious, having an
intense sexual desire, which demands immediate satisfaction, were considered
aspects that enhance the HIV vulnerability. However, being responsible, a good
financial, sexual and affective partner diminishes this vulnerability, because in this
way men tend to behave, showing no risk to the HIV.
Recommendations: Written material is not always effective, because some of
them were not educated and have a hard time reading. TV is a good way to inform because it is often watched. The language used in the explanations should
be simple, the very same one used on their routine. Technical and formal terms
are not understood. Since these men only look for health services when they are
sick, their workplace is the best place to perform prevention activities. There is
a concern, from those who do not consider themselves vulnerable to the HIV,
to make someone pregnant. Therefore, they would have to pay for alimony. It's
important the association between this preventive work against the HIV and the
contraception, emphasizing that condom is the only reversible method men control. This work should be done based on the information these men already carry.
There should be workshops to help them find ways to prevent STD/HIV, still respecting their values and life style.
Presenting author: lara Guerriero, Rua Francisco Borges de Faria, 137, Zip code
05359-010, Brazil, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: iarag
@uol.com.br
ThPeE7841 Promoting male participation in HIV/AIDS
prevention, care and support in Kenya
G.G. Wachira. Society for Women and AIDS in Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
Background: Women of all ages in Kenya are more vulnerable to hiv than men.
Compounding their biological vulnerability, women have a lower social status in
society and in sexual relationships. Cultural and gender biased practices like wife
inheritance, poor emphasis of girl's education, poverty and women economic dependence on husbands lower women assertiveness in sexual relationships and
thus increasing vulnerability to hiv infection.
Fighting hiv/aids requires convincing men to have more responsible social and
sexual behaviour. Men begin the chain of infection while women and children are
the last link. Thus exploiting men social economic power is an indirect way of
reducing women vulnerability to HIV/AIDS.
Descriptions: Society for women and aids in Kenya (SWAK), through the male
initiative, works with the government, NGOs, faith groups, media and private sector in:
1. Fostering greater awareness of the relationship between men behaviour and
hiv/aids
2. Stimulating widespread public debate on men and hiv/aids issues
3. Encouraging men to adopt safer sex practices to reduce the risk of infection
among men and women.
Lessons learned: With technical and financial support from panos institute,
1. Five hundred copies of "men and HIV in Kenya" report have been produced
and two 271 copies have been distributed to key stakeholders
2. A workshop which brought together 38 participants from key stakeholders was
held in october 2001 in Nairobi where partipants discussed how to integrate men
and hiv interventions in their hiv/aids work and drew action plans
The project looks forward to:
1. Initiate a coalition to promote greater involvement of men in hiv prevention, care
and support activities
2. Initiate men and hiv support groups for plwhas

3. Mobilise more resources to support implementation of activities
4. Enrich programme development and implementation through participation in
networks and consortiums at regional and international levels
Presenting author: george gathenya wachira, society for women and aids in
kenya, wood avenue; off argwings kodhek road, p.o. box 21526, nairobi, Kenya,
Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]

ThPeE7842 Aids in the military: men, gender and vulnerability
B. Medrado, J. Lyra, P. Nascimento, K. Galvao, M. Moraes, C. Pedrosa.
Programa PAPAl, Varzea Recife/PE, Brazil
In consonance with the 2001/02 Unaids International Campaign "Men make a difference", the objective of this work is to present some results of the action plan
of research and social intervention on STD/Aids prevention with young men - recruits from the city of Recife, Northeast Brazil - based in feminist policies, gender
theories and the concept of vulnerability.
Since 1997, PAPAl Program has developed research and social intervention experiences through an action program that brings together sexual and reproductive
health, working with low-income masculine population. In the military, we developed the following activities:
1) diagnosis through survey, focal groups and individual interviews to investigate
the knowledge and social practices of the young men about sexuality, reproductive health, Aids and other STD;
2) weekly workshops with the young recruits;
3) focal activities of wide impact to the population of the military quarter as a
whole;
4) Information, Education and Communication activities, dialoguing with local and
national media;
5) producing social-educative instruments;
6) promoting Institutional and Interchange Development, through the sedimentation of partnerships with non-governmental organizations and the participation in
NGO/Aids forums and/or networks against Aids.
As a result, we have promote preventive health measures as whole and conduced
possible cases to STD/Aids assistance, involving young men in the strategies of
STD/Aids prevention, contributing to the decrease of the infection by these men
and their partners.
The results of this work confirms the importance to get young men involved in the
context of public health in general and in the prevention of STD/Aids, particularly,
as a strategy of intervention regarding the increasing number of infected women.
This way, we intend to rethink notions acquired through science and experience,
translate them to actions in gender, seeking equity and commitment with social
changes.
Presenting author: Benedito Medrado, Rua Mardonio de A. Nascimento, 129
Varzea Recife/PE 50741-380, Brazil, Tel.: [phone], Fax: +55 81
34546567, E-mail: [email protected]
ThPeE7843 Male sexual health problems: Folk curiosity or
opportunity for HIV/AIDS risk reduction?
R.K. Verma1, S. Schensul2. The Horizons, The Population Council, New Delhi,
India; 2 University of Connecticut, Hartford, United States
Background: Widespread sexual health anxieties among Indian men such as
nocturnal emissions, excessive masturbation, and other "semen loss" concerns
and its link with HIV/AIDS risk is not very well recognized. This paper provides
strong empirical evidence on this linkage and argues to use male sexual health
problems, which are not related to sexually transmitted infections (STI) as an opportunity to reduce HIV/AIDS risk.
Methods: During the formative research phase, in-depth interviews were conducted with 51 non-allopathic sexual health practitioners and 56 clients in a large
Mumbai slum community. The qualitative data gathering was followed by a random household survey of 1344 men age 18-40 years.
Results: Respondents who reported a non-STI problem also reported clear STI
symptoms with greater frequency. Binary regression analysis showed that unmarried men or men who do not live with their wives were 2.5 times more likely to have
non-STI sexual health problems than married men. Younger (25 and less) men
were 1.5 times more likely to report at least one non-STI sexual health problem
than older (greater than 25) men. Men who reported participating in risky peer
related activities such as drinking alcohol, gambling, and other group behaviors
were 1.3 times more likely to report a greater number of non-STI sexual health
problems. Men with non-marital sexual relations were close to two times more
likely to report non-STI sexual health problems. The qualitative interviews yielded
five major constructs that constitute the study's conceptual model: (1) male sexual health problems, (2) masculinity, (3) relationship with spouse, (4) risky lifestyle,
and (5) HIV/STDs.
Conclusion: Non-STI sexual health problems can serve as a significant opportunity for male involvement in HIV/AIDS risk reduction effort.
Presenting author: Ravi Verma, The Horizons, The Population Council, Lodhi
Road, New Delhi, India, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail:
[email protected]
ThPeE7844 Why are male-to-female transgendered persons at
high risk for HIV?: a study of their male partners

D.L. Coan1, W. Schrager1, T. Packer2, W. McFarland2, C. Clynes3. 1Harder
Company Community Research, San Francisco, CA, United States; 2San
Francisco Dept. of Public Health, HIV Prevention Section, San Francisco, United
States; 3San Francisco Dept of Public Health, San Francisco, United States
Background: At present, HIV transmission among male-to-female transgendered persons (MTF) is estimated to be the highest of any population at risk in
San Francisco; yet, data on their sexual partners has been virtually non-existent.