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

XIV International AIDS Conference

Abstracts ThPeF8163-ThPeF8166 625

for the project amongst parents, community leaders and elders. The project is
making connections with other service providers and enabling young people to
better access and advocate for the services they need. Young people are being
empowered to take action that will improve their SRH health.
Recommendation: FACTS provides a flexible model that has worked successfully in 3 countries and should be replicated more widely. The participatory nature
of the project ensures that young people can tailor the discussion groups to fit
their needs, and adjustments can be made throughout the project process, but
this requires a substantial investment in training and sensitisation.
Presenting author: Momodou Conteh, Worldview The Gambia, Bakau New
Town, PMB 94 Banjul, Gambia, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail:
worldview@ gamtel.gm
ThPe81 HIV/AIDS and cultural practices. Impact on families
and communities. A case study of the ethnic
Bahima with emphasis to sexual act between the
Father-inlaw and Daughter-inlaw
A.D.N. Balaba 1, TWO. Otim Thomas2. 1 Social Scientist, Joint Clinical Research
Centre, PO. Box 10005, Kampala, Uganda; 2Bio-Statistician, Kampala, Uganda
Issue: Undertaking to find out how cultural norms and practices could be impacting on the spread of HIV/AIDS in Uganda.
Descriptions: A group of 50 families of the Bahima Community were subjected
to a questionnaire about criteria of culture practices of selecting a wife. One of
the most amazing findings was the "first sexual rights", that is sexual act between the father-inlaw and daughter-inlaw. The following was gathered.80% of
the men(fathers) interviewed said there is what is called "first sexual rights", which
means a father-inlaw engages in sexual intercourse with the son's wife(to be)
before his sone takes her as a wife. 66% of the boys(sons) acknowledged the
practice and did not mind their fathers first having sex with their wives to be. 70%
of the women(mother & daughters) said they cannot change the culture that has
alwalways existed otherwise they will be out-casts.
Lessons learnt: Given a situation where HIV/AIDS is a serious pandemic it is
easy to see that such practices are fertile ground for the infection to spread. There
is a big danger of transmission of HIV/AIDS through the family clan incase one of
the individuals in the "chain" is infected.
Recommendations: Need to expose cultural practices that are harmful but remain cherished in the communities. Sensitization of the community about some
of these cultures which promote transmission of HIV/AIDS. Emphasis should be
on the men who yield a lot of power and influcene in most African communities.Communities should be encouraged to change if they are to survive this
pandemic. Emphasis on educating the girl-child so that they become aware of
the dangers of most of these culture practices which are put as a special part
of life.More concise guidelines on how to approach this very sensitive issue in
the communities should be drawn. Home income-generating projects should be
started by NGO's and with the help of the International community so that the
dependency syndrome by women on men can be reduced.
Presenting author: Alison Balaba, Joint Clinical Research Centre, P.O. Box
10005, Kampala, Uganda, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail:
[email protected]
ThPeF8164 Course on prevention and Human Rights in
HIV-AIDS for minors deprived of freedom because
of infractions typified as sexual crimes by the
Criminal Code
M.A.S. Salqado Fernandez1, A.N.G. Nieto Gonzalez2. 1, CEBOLLATI 1560/503,
CR 11200, Montevideo, Uruguay; 2University Biology, Montevideo, Uruguay
Issue: Course aimed at teenagers deprived of freedom and confined to a top
security establishment dependent on the Government. Its content was focused
on: *Encouraging changes in attitudes from a comprehensive conceptual framework of sexuality and Human Rights. *Fostering the reflection about prevention,
self-care and responsibility for actions.
It takes place within the framework of a Program of training and socialisation for
release implemented by three Non-Governmental Organisations.
Description: Socio-educative activities were developed by two professionals: a
university biology teacher and a social worker. It was performed in the establishment of deprivation of liberty itself. It was addressed to male teenagers between
16 and 19 years old.
The Course was developed in four working days with a methodological proposal of Workshops. The various issues were approached from the theoreticalconceptual, jointed with the teenagers' life experience aspects, fostering a place
for interchange within a confidentiality framework. Through a pedagogical and
participative process, we seek to integrate and reflect about sexuality associated
with several behaviours and emotions.
Lessons learned: *To prioritise and generate a previous link of confidence. *The

importance of implementing a course in confinement, where HIV-AIDS and Human Rights are jointed. *Employees should be previously trained. *The need for
a continuous and upholding work. *The "confinement" as a stage of appropriation
of knowledge.
Recommendations: To boost and propitiate the existence of points in common
between the initiatives of Non-Governmental Organisations and the Government,
even though complete and perfect agreements may not be ensured between both

program discourses. But it will be enough that some points be common to both
discourses and that they mean practical consequences of significance in the actions reflecting each discourse, in order to turn those interchanges more profitable.
Presenting author: MARIA DE LOS ANGELES SALGADO FERNANDEZ, CEBOLLATI 1560/503, CP 11200, MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay, Tel.: [phone],
Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]
ThPeF8165 Raped victims and a prophylaxis regimen for HIV
prevention: Is it a time to set a standard protocol?
S. Grisurapong. Faculty of Social Sciences, Mahidol University, Faculty of Social
Sciences and Humanities, Mahidol University, Salaya, Puthamonthon 4,
Nakhonpathom 73170, Thailand
Issues: Thailand is a country facing with high rate of rape and sexual assault.
Victims of these actions have to face with severe physical, psychological and
emotional impacts. Provability to be infected by HIV has been raised but no standard protocol has been determined to dealing with this issue.
Descriptions: A one-stop crisis center has been first established in a Thai public
hospital to provide comprehensive hospital services to women victims of violence.
A protocol has been set that women who have been sexual violated have to be
tested for HIV, will obtain counseling and AZT prophylaxis dose. However, AZT
has recently been considered that it may not be effective enough to prevent HIV.
A cocktail regimen has been recommended but "Who will be responsible for the
financing" has emerged.
Lesson learned: Health care staff did not aware and lack of skill to deal with HIV
prevention for victims of violence. Counseling is needed when testing of HIV and
prophylaxis regimen for HIV prevention are provided. Financing of these drugs is
also a big issue needed to be determined due to its high cost. Side effect of these
drugs is, noteworthy, a point which need an effective counseling to these victims.
Recommendations: An advocacy for a standard protocol for HIV prevention to
women victims of violence who come to use hospital services has been planned.
Raising awareness of hospital staff towards this standard protocol has to go along
with identification of its financing.
Presenting author: Siriwan Grisurapong, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Mahidol University, Salaya, Puthamonthon 4, Nakhonpathom 73170,
Thailand, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: shsgs@mahidol.
ac.th
ThPeF8166 HIV, violence, and mental health among low income
urban women
A.C. Gielen, K. McDonnell, P.J. O'Campo, J. Burke, M. Yonas. Johns Hopkins
University, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg school of public health, 624 n broadway,
Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
Background: Ample evidence exists of significant mental health consequences
associated with being an abused woman, and similarly, of living with HIV. There
is increasing evidence that these two problems often overlap, with a substantial
proportion of HIV positive women experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV).
This research examines whether and to what extent the relationship between IPV
and mental health indicators varies by HIV status among a large cohort of low
income urban women.
Methods: Project WAVE (Women, AIDS, and the Violence Epidemic) recruited
HIV positive women and a demographically similar sample of HIV negative
women from clinic and community sites in Baltimore MD. The Revised Conflict
Tactics Scale (CTS) was used to measure intimate partner violence in the last
year for 445 women who had main partners (188 HIV positive, 257 HIV negative). Current mental health indicators were assessed by using the Mental Health
scale (MH) of the Medical Outcomes Study-HIV Scale, theCenter for Epidemiological Studies Scale (CES-D) for depression, suicidality items, and mental health
services utilization items.
Results: Rates of IPV did not differ between HIV positive and HIV negative
women; 62% experienced psychological, physical, and/or sexual abuse; 44% experienced frequent abuse (>13 events); and 29% suffered an injury. HIV positive
women had significantly higher scores on the CES-D (16.74 vs 12.24) and lower
scores on the MH scale (65.72 vs 71.60) adjusted for current abuse, age and income in multivariate models. Similar analyses are underway examining suicidality
and use of mental health services.
Conclusions: Results demonstrate that IPV is a ubiquitous problem for low income urban women, who are experiencing frequent and harmful abuse. HIV positive.women seem to be more severely impacted with mental health problems.
Universal screening for IPV and enhanced mental health services for women living with HIV are needed.
Presenting author: Andrea Gielen, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg school of public
health, 624 n broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States, Tel.: [phone]

2397, Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]