Poster session on HIV/AIDS and STDs (1)

The commonly used variable to analyse risky sexual practices of male migrants is consistent condom use. Literature indicates the importance of economic status and other socio-demographic variables, duration of migration, type of occupation, substance abuse, type of sexual partners and exposure to prevention messages as some of the key explanatory variables. Hitherto, the choice of being in a non-monogamous relationship has been clubbed with the decision to use a condom in analysing the determinants of safe sex behaviour. We assume a two-stage sequential decision-making process to understand risky sex: (a) decision to be in a non-monogamous relationship and (b) the decision to engage in safe sex by choosing to use a condom. The results indicate that fewer variables – except education and knowledge – impact on CCU once selection bias regarding who enters into sexual alliances outside of marriage or regular partners is controlled for.

Although HIV infections are declining, certain population groups such as men who have sex (MSM) with men have been identified as people at higher risk of HIV. This study examines the sexual history and risky sexual behavior of MSM in Lome, Togo. Twenty MSM were recruited by the only HIV/AIDS center that caters to their needs in September-October, 2012. Semi-structured interviews asked participants questions about their sexual history, condom use and HIV prevention. The mean age was 22 years old. Participants were all single and had a mean number of 10.7 years of education. Three MSM were seropositive, three did not know their serostatus, and 14 were seronegative. The mean age at first sexual intercourse was 14.45 years. The mean number of sexual partners (of both sex) at the time of the study was 18. Fifty percent identified as gay, 35% as bisexual, and 15% as homosexual. Some of the MSM who identified as gay or homosexual had sex with females as well. Seventy percent of the MSM consistently used condoms in the past six months prior to the study. However, 30% did not use condoms consistently. The reasons for non-condom use fell under three main themes: partners ejaculate quicker; availability of antiretroviral drugs, and intense urge prior to anal sex did not allow time for condom use.

This paper uses data from the 2008 Botswana AIDS Impact Survey (BAISIII) to investigate the impact of knowledge of HIV status on sexual and HIV risk behaviors in Botswana. The logistic regression net effects model shows that knowing that one is HIV positive was associated reduction in the odds of having had sex with two or more people during the year leading to the survey; reporting two or more current partners and inconsistent condom use. Being HIV positive and not knowing it, was associated with increased likelihood of having had sex with two or more people during the year leading to the survey and having two or more current sexual partners, compared to respondents who were HIV negative and did know it.
Knowing one’s HIV negative status was associated with marginally increased likelihood of having had sex with two or more people during the year leading to the survey; having two or more current sexual partners, and a decline in likelihood of inconsistent condom use, compared to respondents who were HIV negative and didn’t know it. While promotion of HIV VCT has the potential to reduce sexual and HIV risk behaviours in Botswana, there is also a need to investigate the potential for sexual dis-inhibition associated with knowledge of an HIV negative status.

The effects of HIV/AIDS education programme on the attitude of illiterate women towards HIV/AIDS prevention is the focus of this study. It examined their awareness of transmission of HIV/AIDS, awareness of prevention of HIV/AIDS, perception of persons living with HIV/AIDS and perception of voluntary counselling and testing for HIV/AIDS. The study area is Abuja and a structured questionnaire was used to elicit information from twenty five illiterate women from Northern Nigeria extraction resident in Abuja. Purposive sampling technique was used in selecting the respondents and the data collected were analyzed with the use of descriptive statistical tools (frequency count and percentages). The study showed that a high percentage of the respondents have wrong information about HIV/AIDS and a small but significant percentage is not aware about HIV/AIDS issues. The study further showed that HIV/AIDS education helped to raise the awareness of the respondents about HIV/AIDS significantly and correct erroneous ideas about HIV/AIDS held by the respondents. The study concluded that with HIV/AIDS education programmes tailored to meet the information needs of illiterate women, the fight to control the spread of the disease will be enhanced and a HIV/AIDS-free world will be made possible

The purpose of this article was to investigate achievements made with regard to sexual behaviour change among young people, particularly reductions in multiple sexual partnerships, non-condom use, and other risky sexual behaviours

The data used in this paper were derived from the Botswana AIDS Impact Surveys (BAIS) which were carried out to provide information on the topics related to HIV/AIDS. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. Standardization procedure was used to observe changes in the selected sexual behaviours.

The results showed that there were declines in percentage of young people aged 15-24 who reported ever having sex; the percentage of young people who have had sexual intercourse before the age of 15; and the percentage of young people who reported the use of condoms at their last sexual intercourse. However on the downside, there were no achievements in the area of multiple sexual partnerships and the percentage of young people who have had sex with a non-marital, non-cohabiting sexual partner in the last 12 months.

It is apparent that although there are signs of positive changes achieved through the implementation of behaviour change interventions, there are still areas where efforts need to be intensified to achieve the desired results.

The Aids orphans crisis constitutes one of the greatest human challenges of the global community; for Brazil the estimate is 200.000 orphans in 2010. In Santos, city known by the Aids high prevalence, researchers worried about orphanhood carried out the first national study for estimate total paternal and maternal Aids orphans, aged less than 15 years, in the period 1995-2001. The present work improves the Aids orphans estimation methodology, validated in the previous study, updating the informations and incorporating the knowledge of the international and national epidemic trends. Applying demographic techniques, Aids orphans estimate was updated to 2012 and the age increased up to 18 years, following international recommendations about the Aids orphans vulnerability, not barely to 15 years. The new epidemic tendencies, maternal transmission decline, survival increase by the use of antirretroviral therapy and the growing exercise of the reproductive right to maternity of seropositive women were also incorporated.

Objective: To appraise the contribution of intensive programme among Long Distance Truck Drivers in terms of safe sex practices with paid female partners.Methods: The key variable -exposure to HIV prevention interventions was divided into three categories - less exposure, moderate exposure and intensive exposure. IBBA Truckers data were analyzed using multiple logistic regression methods to understand the relationship between program exposure and consistent condom use practices. Significant factors were further analyzed using decomposition method to examine the contribution of different components of that factor towards the total increase in consistent condom use over time.Results: There was significant increase in consistent condom use with paid female partners among long distance truck drivers from round1 to round2.Truckers, exposed to intensive intervention programmes were two times more likely to use condom consistently with paid partners (OR 2.1; 95% CI 1.4-3.1;p-value <0.0001). Out of total increase in consistent condom use practices with paid partners, truckers who were exposed to Avahan programme contributed 58%. Conclusions: This study results highlight the ability of intensive program to reach truckers who have sex outside marriage with HIV prevention interventions and promote safe sex behaviour among them.

In the era of accessibility to HAART, one challenge is growing-up of children born from HIV-positive mother in earlier of HIV epidemic since HIV can positively and negatively effect on their current and future living.

The cross-sectional survey was done by using questionnaire of socio-demography and life events and the PedsQL™4.0 to explore life experiences and well-being among children aged 5-18 years who born from HIV-positive mothers in 2 selected provinces of Thailand. There were 115 HIV-positive children and their caregivers voluntarily participated and completed questionnaires.

Preliminary results showed that two-third of children lose father and/or mother. Stigma & discrimination were occurred outside more than inside of home. Around 60% knew their HIV-status. About 70% had severely illness and nearly 100% received ARV. Besides, children had problems on physical and intellectual developments higher than emotional development. Mean of total score of PedsQL4.0 was 78%. Score of physical health were higher a bit than psychosocial health. The lowest score of psychosocial health was schooling functioning.

The results suggest that to support these HIV-positive children living with well-being, it needs intervention to support them coping with problems concerning school functioning and its related problem.

For young MSM, approximately 80% of new HIV infections are estimated to arise from main sex partners. This research examines variations in desired characteristics of sexual partners, and investigate how these characteristics influence non-condom use among a sample of young black and white MSM.30 MSM 18-25 were recruited for in-depth interviews (IDIs). IDI’s explored the factors that shape the choice of sexual partner, how these factors influence condom use, and how decisions to have anal sex without condoms vary based on desired characteristics of sexual partners. Perceived Intelligence was associated with choosing not to use a condom. Also, the desire for good sex was associated with non-condom use. The more desirable attributes a potential partner had was associated with a decreased desire to use condoms. Programs and messaging that focus on how decisions about sexual risk behavior are influenced by romantic relationships, are needed for this this group.

This paper contributes methodologically and substantively to the debate over the importance of poverty, sexual behaviour, and circumcision in HIV infection using panel data on young black men and women in Cape Town, South Africa. Methodological challenges include problems of endogeneity and blunt indicator variables, especially for the measurement of sexual behaviour. Noting these difficulties, we found that the importance of socio-economic and sexual-behavourial factors differed between men and women. While a clear association was found between the number of years of sexual activity and HIV status among both men and women, we found that past participation in a concurrent sexual partnership increased the odds of HIV infection for men but not for women. Women, but not men, who made the transition from school to tertiary education (our key indicator of socio-economic status) were less likely to be HIV positive than those who made the transition from school to unemployment. Both poverty and sexual behaviour matter, but in gendered ways.