Does Viewing Pornography Diminish Religiosity Over Time? Evidence from Two-Wave Panel Data

Research consistently shows a negative association between religiosity and viewing pornography. While scholars typically assume that greater religiosity leads to less frequent pornography use, none have empirically examined whether the reverse could be true: that greater pornography use may lead to lower levels of religiosity over time. 

I tested for this possibility using two waves of the nationally representative Portraits of American Life Study (PALS). Persons who viewed pornography at all at Wave 1 reported more religious doubt, lower religious salience, and lower prayer frequency at Wave 2 compared to those who never viewed porn. 

Considering the effect of porn-viewing frequency, viewing porn more often at Wave 1 corresponded to increases in religious doubt and declining religious salience at Wave 2. However, the effect of earlier pornography use on later religious service attendance and prayer was curvilinear: Religious service attendance and prayer decline to a point and then increase at higher levels of pornography viewing. Testing for interactions revealed that all effects appear to hold regardless of gender. 

Findings suggest that viewing pornography may lead to declines in some dimensions of religiosity but at more extreme levels may actually stimulate, or at least be conducive to, greater religiosity along other dimensions.

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By:  Samuel L. Perry^a*

• ^a Department of Sociology, University of Oklahoma

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Women’s Religious Authority in a Sub-Saharan Setting: Dialectics of Empowerment & Dependency

Western scholarship on religion and gender has devoted considerable attention to women’s entry into leadership roles across various religious traditions and denominations. However, very little is known about the dynamics of women’s religious authority and leadership in developing settings, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, a region of powerful and diverse religious expressions. This study employs a combination of uniquely rich and diverse data to examine women’s formal religious authority in a predominantly Christian setting in Mozambique. I first use survey data to test hypotheses regarding the prevalence and patterns of women’s formal leadership across different denominational groups. I then support and extend the quantitative results with insights on pathways and consequences of women’s ascent to formal congregation authority drawn from qualitative data. The analysis illustrates how women’s religious authority both defies and reasserts the gendered constraints of the religious marketplace and the broader gender ideology in this developing context....

 As this analysis suggests, similarly to Western settings, sub-Saharan women’s rise to religious leadership roles, as well as the limitations of this rise, reflects the broader societal realities and expectations of (in)equality between women and men (Wessinger 1996, 6). As elsewhere, this process is shaped through “loose coupling” between these broader forces and church internal ideological and organizational priorities (Chaves 1996). And, as in the Western world (Zikmund 1986), this process unfolds gradually in sub-Saharan Africa. 

In this study, women still tended to lead smaller congregations than did men, and women congregation leaders were significantly less likely than men leaders to occupy higher-ranking church offices, even after controlling for theological training. Yet, with almost a third of the district’s religious congregations being headed by women, the process of women’s entry into leadership roles in Chibuto has been more advanced than many outsiders might imagine. 

Women’s ascent through the church leadership ranks increasingly defines the face, identity, and expression of religious organizations in sub-Saharan Africa. However, women leaders must confront and often conform to the gendered world around them. Rarely does their rise to positions of authority explicitly clash with deeply entrenched and omnipresent gender inequalities, and with the pervasive stereotypes about women’s subalternity—the stereotypes to which, incidentally, most women church leaders still readily subscribe. Hence, the expansion of women’s religious leadership roles both challenges and reasserts the patriarchal gender ideology and the social hierarchies and relationships that this ideology cements. 

As observed in Chibuto, formal church leadership does empower women, yet, at the same time, the power that women leaders gain remains mainly limited to “women’s matters” and is exercised largely within the gendered constraints of religious ideologies. This dialectical reality parallels, with appropriate caveats, the findings of a growing number of studies that show how women’s “doing” of religion (Avishai 2008) promotes their empowerment by creatively engaging their faith without fundamentally challenging the ideological and symbolic boundaries of the religious doctrine (e.g., Chong 2008; González 2013; Mahmood 2005; Prickett 2015; Rinaldo 2013; van Doorn-Harder 2006).

Full article at:   http://goo.gl/f0sTqB

By:  Victor Agadjanian, 

Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Victor Agadjanian, Foundation Distinguished Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 60045, USA;

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Place Matters: Contextualizing the Roles of Religion & Race for Understanding Americans' Attitudes About Homosexuality

As laws and policies related to homosexuality have evolved, Americans' attitudes have also changed. Race and religion have been established as important indicators of feelings about homosexuality. However, researchers have given almost no attention to how county characteristics shape Americans' attitudes. 

Using Hierarchical Linear Modeling techniques, we examine how personal characteristics and the religious and racial context of a county shape feelings about homosexuality drawing on data from the American National Election Survey and information about where respondents reside. 

We find that African Americans initially appear less tolerant than other racial groups, until we account for the geographical distribution of attitudes across the nation. 

Additionally, once we consider religious involvement, strength of belief, and religious affiliation African Americans appear to have warmer feelings about homosexuality than whites. Drawing on the moral communities' hypothesis, we also find that the strength of religiosity amongst county residents heightens the influence of personal religious beliefs on disapproving attitudes. 

There is also a direct effect of the proportion conservative Protestant, whereby people of all faiths have cooler attitudes towards homosexual individuals when they reside in a county with a higher proportion of conservative Protestants. 

Finally, we do not find any evidence for an African American cultural influence on attitudes.

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By:  Adamczyk A1, Boyd KA2, Hayes BE3.

• 1John Jay College of Criminal Justice and the Graduate Center, City University of New York, USA. Electronic address: AAdamczyk@jjay.cuny.edu.
• 2Department of Sociology, Philosophy, and Anthropology, The University of Exeter, UK.
• 3Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Sam Houston State University, USA. 
• Soc Sci Res. 2016 May;57:1-16. doi: 10.1016/j.ssresearch.2016.02.001. Epub 2016 Feb 8.

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Reported Church Attendance at the Time of Entry into HIV Care is Associated with Viral Load Suppression at 12 Months

The Southeast has high rates of church attendance and HIV infection rates. We evaluated the relationship between church attendance and HIV viremia in a Southeastern US, HIV-infected cohort. 

Viremia (viral load ≥200 copies/ml) was analyzed 12 months after initiation of care. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were fit for variables potentially related to viremia. Of 382 patients, 74 % were virally suppressed at 12 months. 

Protective variables included church attendance, being on antiretroviral therapy, CD4⁺ T lymphocyte count 200-350 cells/mm³ at care entry, and education. Variables predicting viremia included black race and selective disclosure of HIV status. 

Church attendance may provide needed support for patients entering HIV care for the first time.

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By:  Van Wagoner N1, Elopre L2, Westfall AO1, Mugavero MJ1, Turan J3, Hook EW1.

• 1Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, ZRB 206, 1720 2nd Ave South, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA.
• 2Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, ZRB 206, 1720 2nd Ave South, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA. lelopre@uabmc.edu.
• 3Department of Health Care Organization and Policy, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA. 

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Religiosity as a Protective Factor for Hazardous Drinking and Drug Use among Sexual Minority and Heterosexual Women

OBJECTIVE:

Despite research documenting disparities in risk for alcohol-related problems among sexual minority women, few studies explore potential protective factors within this population. This study examines how religiosity may function as a protective or risk factor for alcohol-problems or other substance use among sexual minorities compared to heterosexuals.

METHOD:

Data from 11,169 women who responded to sexual identity and sexual behavior questions from three population-based National Alcohol Survey waves (2000, 2005, 2010) were utilized for analyses of religiosity in relation to lifetime drinking, past year hazardous drinking, and past year drug use.

RESULTS:

Religiosity was significantly greater among exclusively heterosexual women compared to all sexual minority groups (lesbian, bisexual and heterosexual women who report same sex partners). Lesbians reported the lowest rates of affiliation with religions/denominations discouraging alcohol use. Past year hazardous drinking and use of any illicit drugs were significantly lower among exclusively heterosexual women compared to all sexual minority groups. High religiosity was associated with lifetime alcohol abstention and was found to be protective against hazardous drinking and drug use among both sexual minority and heterosexual women. Reporting religious norms unfavorable to drinking was protective against hazardous drinking among exclusively heterosexual women but not sexual minority women.

CONCLUSIONS:

Findings reveal the importance of considering sexual minority status in evaluation of religion or spirituality as protective among women. Future studies should explore religiosity in the context of other individual and environmental factors, such as positive identity development and community-level acceptance, which may be salient to resiliency among sexual minorities.

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By:  Drabble L1, Trocki KF2, Klinger JL3.

• 1San José State University School of Social Work, One Washington Square, San José, CA 95192-0124, United States. Electronic address: laurie.drabble@sjsu.edu.
• 2Alcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute, 6475 Christie Ave. Suite 400, Emeryville, CA 94608, United States. Electronic address: ktrocki@arg.org.
• 3Alcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute, 6475 Christie Ave. Suite 400, Emeryville, CA 94608, United States. Electronic address: jklinger@arg.org. 
• Drug Alcohol Depend. 2016 Feb 2. pii: S0376-8716(16)00050-8. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.01.022.

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Psychological Well-Being among Religious and Spiritual-identified Young Gay and Bisexual Men

Religiosity and spirituality are often integral facets of human development. Young gay and bisexual men (YGBM), however, may find themselves at odds when attempting to reconcile potentially conflicting identities like religion and their sexual orientation. 

We sought to explore how different components of religiosity (participation, commitment, spiritual coping) are linked to different markers of psychological well-being (life purpose, self-esteem, and internalized homophobia). 

Using data collected in Metro Detroit (N = 351 ages 18-29 years; 47 % African American, 29 % Non-Latino White, 8 % Latino, 16 % Other Race), we examined how components of religiosity/spirituality were associated with psychological well-being among religious/spiritual-identified participants. 

An overwhelming majority (79.5 %) identified as religious/spiritual, with most YGBM (91.0 %) reporting spirituality as a coping source. Over three quarters of our religious/spiritual sample (77.7 %) reported attending a religious service in the past year. Religious participation and commitment were negatively associated with psychological well-being. 

Conversely, spiritual coping was positively associated with YGBM’s psychological well-being. Programs assisting YGBM navigate multiple/conflicting identities through sexuality-affirming resources may aid improve of their psychological well-being. 

We discuss the public health potential of increasing sensitivity to the religious/spiritual needs of YGBM across social service organizations.

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By:  

Steven Meanley

, Emily S. Pingel

, José A. Bauermeister 

University of Michigan School of Public Health

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Sexuality of Tunisian Women: Involvement of Religion & Culture

INTRODUCTION:

Culture and religion carry several prohibitions and taboos, especially in the Arab-Muslim societies, and are therefore involved in the sexual behavior and its perception, particularly that of women.

OBJECTIVES:

To assess the married population's knowledge and opinion about female sexuality, and to estimate the impacts of religious and cultural factors on women's life experience and sexual practice in the Tunisian society.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS:

Our study is in an inquiry. We targeted 55 men and 55 women agreeing to participate in the study. They responded to an anonymous self-administered questionnaire comprising 18 items related to the influence of religion and culture on female sexuality. Among these items, some were binary responses (yes or no) assessing knowledge about female sexuality in the Tunisian religious and cultural context; 8 others explored the opinions of participants about female sexuality. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software (15th version). Pearson's chi-square test and Fisher's exact association test were used for comparative study (P<0.05).

RESULTS:

The rate of participants who did not manage to reach the threshold of 50% of responses compliant with religious precepts and morals in the Tunisian context was 48.19%. According to 61.8% of participants, the woman should consider sex as a religious duty, and according to 79.1%, she always ought to have sex with her husband even when she did not wish to. This assertion was more frequently reported by women (P<0.001). Among the participants, 35.5% did not approve of the idea that women had the right to reach sexual pleasure, like men. Men recognized this right less often than women did (P<0.001). With reference to social morals, 43.6% of participants thought that the woman should always remain passive when having sex. This opinion was more common to women (P<0.001). There were 71.8% who thought that premature ejaculation was not a limiting factor for female pleasure. Virginity was considered by 63.6% of respondents as a feminine virtue to preserve. This response was statistically more frequent among males (P<0.001). For 55.5%, in addition to sodomy, a man could not afford all the sexual practices with his wife. This response was significantly more frequent in males (P<0.001). Regarding the subjective perception of female sexuality, the percentage of those who thought that women might simulate orgasm was 70.9%. Women thought more frequently than men that such a behavior could be justified to avoid hurting the man's pride (P<0.001).

CONCLUSION:

The experience of sexuality within the Tunisian population is hampered by the prohibitions related to religion and culture, at least in some of its aspects. The reasons for that may be the ignorance of religious texts or their misinterpretation and the biased cultural transmission not followed by questioning or seeking deeper knowledge. The introduction of sex education in school programs could play a crucial role in the fight against the obstacles surrounding sexuality, in order to promote the welfare of woman, and thereby, that of the couple and the family.

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By:   Ben Thabet J1, Charfeddine F2, Charfi N3, Baati I3, Zouari L3, Zouari N3, Maâlej M3.

• 1Service de psychiatrie « C », faculté de médecine de Sfax, université de Sfax, CHU Hédi-Chaker, route El Aïn km 1, 3029 Sfax, Tunisie. Electronic address: kamounjihene@yahoo.fr.
• 2Service de psychiatrie « B », faculté de médecine de Sfax, université de Sfax, CHU Hédi-Chaker, Sfax, Tunisie.
• 3Service de psychiatrie « C », faculté de médecine de Sfax, université de Sfax, CHU Hédi-Chaker, route El Aïn km 1, 3029 Sfax, Tunisie.
• Encephale. 2015 Apr;41(2):144-50. doi: 10.1016/j.encep.2013.10.006. Epub 2014 Feb 7. 

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Responses to the Global HIV and AIDS Pandemic: A Study of the Role of Faith-Based Organisations in Lesotho

This article attempts to establish the key contribution by people of faith to the global HIV pandemic response, using Lesotho as a case study. Particular focus is paid to the work of selected religious organisations in Lesotho in this context, assessing their capacities to coordinate an effective HIV and AIDS action at the grassroots levels through education, health care, development, and social service activities. Empirical evaluations and findings regarding the level and quality of faith-based engagement in this field establish the basic premise of this article, namely, that faith-based organisations are contributing energy, expertise, and experience in order to achieve the commitment of the global commitment to advance universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, and support. Although the article is particularly focused on the Lesotho context, its tremendous implications for simulated studies and approaches across Sub-Saharan Africa are accentuated.

...Advocacy is another area in which the role of Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs) might be expanded. Some FBOs have assumed an advocacy role for PLWH, advocating for greater access to health care, antiretrovirals (ARV), or workplace rights. These advocacy efforts can be quite important in countering the effects of discrimination or simple lack of attention.

Collaboration with other organisations is needed. If FBOs are to play a constructive role in addressing HIV in collaboration with the health care system, they must also recognise the unique and complementary strengths that each sector can bring to addressing it. There are also a series of activities that they can assume in collaboration with the health care system: 

• Complement the activities of others by addressing gaps outside the scope of others' missions or that others are unable to complete, for example, by establishing housing projects for PLWH and hospices and facilitating income-generating activities in which PLWH could engage once their health has been stabilised by ARV.
• Reinforce the activities undertaken by others, for example, by reinforcing prevention messages, counselling congregations on safe sex practices, and encouraging people to get tested.
• Facilitate the activities of other organisations, for example, by offering opportunities for health officials to promote the use of condoms in conjunction with other activities that FBOs are directly responsible for organising.
• Support the activities undertaken by others, for example, by recognising the efforts of others and encouraging people to support other organisations' programmes.

Like elsewhere around the world, FBOs have engaged in a wide range of HIV and AIDS prevention activities in Lesotho, but have tended to focus on certain ones. There was evidence of some FBO activity in HIV prevention with high-risk groups (sex workers, MSM) and broader involvement in ‘abstinence-only’ strategies targeted at youth. Less frequently conducted prevention activities included HIV testing, and condom education and distribution. There were also FBOs involved in a wide range of care and support activities, most frequently medical care and pastoral care and social support of PLWH and families. Less frequent social support activities include those related to nutrition, income generation, and housing. Finally, participants revealed FBO involvement in a variety of stigma-reduction and advocacy-related activities, including raising general community awareness about HIV as well as targeted efforts to build networks of PLWH and ensure treatment access...

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By:   Olowu D1.

• 1a Doctor of Juridical Sciences, School of Law , American University of Nigeria (http://www.aun.edu.ng/) , Yola , Nigeria .
• SAHARA J. 2015 Dec;12(1):76-86. doi: 10.1080/17290376.2015.1124802.
• 
  
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Trauma History in African-American Women Living with HIV: Effects on Psychiatric Symptom Severity and Religious Coping

Women living with HIV (WLHIV) have rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) up to 5 times higher than the general population. Individuals living with HIV and a concurrent diagnosis of PTSD have poorer HIV-related outcomes; however, the prevalence and impact of PTSD on African-American WLHIV seeking mental health treatment is unknown. 

The aim of this study is to examine the associations between PTSD symptoms with psychiatric symptom severity and psychological/religious coping strategies in African-American WLHIV who are seeking mental health treatment. This is a cross-sectional study of 235 African-American WLHIV attending an urban community mental health clinic. Bivariate analyses were conducted to evaluate associations between a PTSD symptoms scale (PSS≥21 versus PSS<21) and (1) psychiatric severity, (2) coping strategies, and (3) religious coping strategies. 

Thirty-six percent reported symptoms consistent with PTSD (PSS≥21). These women were significantly more likely to have worse mental health symptoms and were more likely to employ negative psychological and religious coping strategies. On the contrary, women with a PSS<21 reported relatively low levels of mental health symptoms and were more likely to rely on positive psychological and religious coping strategies. 

Over one-third of African-American WLHIV attending an outpatient mental health clinic had symptoms associated with PTSD. These symptoms were associated with worse mental health symptoms and utilization of dysfunctional religious and nonreligious coping strategies. 

Untreated PTSD in WLHIV predicts poorer HIV-related health outcomes and may negatively impact comorbid mental health outcomes. Screening for PTSD in WLHIV could identify a subset that would benefit from evidence-based PTSD-specific therapies in addition to mental health interventions already in place. PTSD-specific interventions for WLHIV with PTSD may improve outcomes, improve coping strategies, and allow for more effective treatment of comorbid mental health disorders.

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By:   Brownley JR1, Fallot RD, Wolfson Berley R, Himelhoch SS.

• 1 Department of Psychiatry , University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore , MD , USA. 

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Healing Pathways: Longitudinal Effects of Religious Coping & Social Support on PTSD Symptoms in African American Sexual Assault Survivors

African American women are at a slightly increased risk for sexual assault (A. Abbey, A. Jacques-Tiaura, & M. Parkhill, 2010). However, because of stigma, experiences of racism, and historical oppression, African American women are less likely to seek help from formal agencies compared to White women (Lewis et al., 2005; S. E. Ullman & H. H. Filipas, 2001) and/or women of other ethnic backgrounds (C. Ahrens, S. Abeling, S. Ahmad, & J. Himman, 2010). Therefore, the provision of culturally appropriate services, such as the inclusion of religion and spiritual coping, may be necessary when working with African American women survivors of sexual assault. Controlling for age and education, the current study explores the impact of religious coping and social support over 1 year for 252 African American adult female sexual assault survivors recruited from the Chicago metropolitan area. Results from hierarchical linear regression analyses reveal that high endorsement of religious coping and social support at Time 1 does not predict a reduction in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms at Time 2. However, high social support at Time 2 does predict lower PTSD at Time 2. Also, it is significant to note that survivors with high PTSD at Time 1 and Time 2 endorse greater use of social support and religious coping. Clinical and research implications are explored...

[F]indings of the present research among African American survivors of sexual assault support are important as they underscore the need for longitudinal studies. The earlier cross-sectional findings of reduction in PTSD for those using social support did not manifest over a 1-year follow-up period. This is critical for clinicians and researchers to understand and explore further, as it points to the potential devastating effects of sexual assault that coping alone may not address. It is important to consider additional factors such as revictimization and other contextual factors in understanding and addressing the mental health outcomes of survivors. The use of religion to ameliorate distress and post-traumatic symptoms can be attributed to historical and/or present experiences of racism and discrimination, which may make African American women less likely to seek help from organized institutions and mental health providers, and more likely to turn to religious and spiritual supports for healing. The use of religion may also be reflective of greater stigma in the African American community towards mental health services (Farris, 2007), in which case efforts, such as public mental health campaigns with culturally respected spokespersons, should be made to reduce the stigma of such services and to provide culturally appropriate services that incorporate spiritual and/or religious coping. Additionally the development of spiritual/religious cultural competence is important for clinicians, as they should not overlook the presence of faith traditions of numerous African American clients. Instead, it is important for clinicians to assess for and recognize the presence of spiritual/religious beliefs and practices among clients.

Full article at:   http://goo.gl/O4Is9p

By:   Thema Bryant-Davis, PhD, Sarah Ullman, PhD, Yuying Tsong, PhD, Gera Anderson, MA, Pamela Counts, MA,Shaquita Tillman, PhD, Cecile Bhang, MA, and Anthea Gray, MA

Thema Bryant-Davis, Pepperdine University;

Contributor Information.

Correspondence regarding this manuscript should be addressed to Thema Bryant-Davis, PhD; Pepperdine University; GSEP: 16830 Ventura Blvd.; Encino, CA 91436. Email: ude.enidreppep@tnayrbt

Authors’ Complete Mailing Addresses

Thema Bryant-Davis, PhD; Pepperdine University; GSEP: 16830 Ventura Blvd.; Encino, CA 91436

Sarah Ullman, PhD; University of Illinois, Chicago; Department of Criminal Justice (M/C 141) 1007 West Harrison St.; Chicago IL 60607-7140

Yuying Tsong, PhD; California State University, Fullerton; Department of Human Services; Health Promotion Research Institute; 800 N. State College Blvd., KHS 115B; Fullerton, CA 92831-3599

Gera Anderson; Pepperdine University; GSEP: 16830 Ventura Blvd.; Encino, CA 91436

Pamela Counts; Pepperdine University; GSEP: 16830 Ventura Blvd.; Encino, CA 91436

Shaquita Tillman; Pepperdine University; GSEP: 16830 Ventura Blvd.; Encino, CA 91436

Cecile Bhang; Pepperdine University; GSEP: 16830 Ventura Blvd.; Encino, CA 91436

Anthea Gray, MA; Pepperdine University; GSEP: 16830 Ventura Blvd.; Encino, CA 91436

J Trauma Dissociation. 2015 Jan-Feb; 16(1): 114–128. doi:  10.1080/15299732.2014.969468 

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More U.S. Christians OK with Homosexuality

Read more at: goo.gl/ynuHQG 

A Cross Sectional Study: Knowledge, Attitude, Perception, Misconception & Views (KAPMV) of Adult Family Members of People Living with HIV/AIDS

We intended to assess knowledge, attitude, perception, misconception and views (KAP-MV) of family members of PLWHA. 

A cross-sectional retrospective study conducted in Anti-retroviral centre of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial—MGM hospital, Warangal, Telangana, South-India from July to September 2014. A questionnaire containing 41 items was distributed among adult family members accompanying patients living with HIV/AIDS-PLWHA. Level of KAP-MV was categorized into poor (0–28), average (29–55) and good (56–82). Analysis was performed by Pearson’s Chi square, analysis of variance and Spearman’s correlation test on 41 variables using SPSS version 21 and p < 0.01. 538 questionnaires were distributed, response rate was (96 %). 

On knowledge scale, respondents had a mean score of 8.0 ± 1.7, attitude 5.8 ± 3.4, perception 23.4 ± 4.1, misconceptions 8.0 ± 2.1 and views 8.0 ± 3.9. The respondents mean score was 53.2 ± 9.1 (64.9 %). 

Overall, level of education, marital status, religious beliefs, and employment status has significant (p < 0.001) associations with KAP-MV. Knowledge was significantly correlated with respondents’ attitude (r = −0.15, p < 0.001), perception (0.39; p < 0.001), and views (0.381; p < 0.001). Family members of PLWHA with less knowledge score had more negative attitude, perception and views. Level of education, marital status, religious beliefs and employment status were identified as key barriers. Interventions targeting family members of PLWHA are warranted.

Table 2

Respondents knowledge and attitude about HIV/AIDS in Warangal, South India (n = 515)

	Variables	Correct answer	Correct answers (%)	Wrong answers (%)	Mean ± standard deviation
	General knowledge
1.	AIDS abbreviation	Acquired Immunodeficiency Virus	316 (61.4)a	199 (38.6)	8.01 ± 1.76
2.	AIDS a transmittable disease	Yes	485 (94.2)	30 (5.8)
3.	AIDS a hereditary disease	No	449 (87.2)	66 (12.8)
4.	AIDS cured at this moment	No	454 (88.2)	61 (11.8)
5.	There is a vaccine for AIDS	No	475 (92.2)	40 (7.8)
	Attitudes
6.	Feel comfortable talking with AIDS patients	Yes	277 (53.8)	238 (46.2)	5.80 ± 3.47
7.	Feel comfortable working with AIDS patients	Yes	275 (53.4)	240 (46.6)
8.	Living with AIDS patients in same house	Yes	266 (51.7)a	249 (48.3)
9.	Feel empathy towards AIDS patients	Yes	282 (54.8)	233 (45.2)
10.	AIDS patients deserve free treatment	Yes	394 (76.5)	121 (23.5)
	Perception
11.	Sexual intercourse without a condom with HIV-infected person	Yes	469 (91.1)	46 (8.9)	23.44 ± 4.19
12.	Sharing needle with HIV-infected organ	Yes	499 (96.9)	16 (3.1)
13.	Transfusion of HIV-infected blood or receiving HIV-infected organ	Yes	498 (96.7)	17 (3.3)
14.	Having sex with multiple sexual partners with unknown HIV status	Yes	484 (94.0)	31 (6.0)
15.	From an HIV positive mother to her fetus	Yes	479 (93.0)	36 (7.0)
16.	Sharing personal items such as shaving blades	Yes	438 (85.0)	77 (15.0)
17.	Breast Feeding from a HIV-infected mother	Yes	410 (79.6)	105 (20.4)
18.	Having tattoo or body piercing	No	337 (65.4)	178 (34.6)
19.	Kissing can transmit HIV-infection	No	147 (28.5)a	368 (71.5)
20.	Mosquito bites	No	460 (89.3)	55 (10.7)
21.	Sharing/eating a meal with an HIV-infected person	No	452 (87.8)	63 (12.2)
22.	Sharing water or drinks with an HIV-infected person	No	465 (90.3)	50 (9.7)
23.	Using Public toilets	No	470 (91.3)	45 (8.7)
24.	Casual contacts (hugging or touching) with an HIV-infected person	No	427 (82.9)a	88 (17.1)

aMost wrongly answered

Table 3

Respondents views and misconceptions about HIV/AIDS (n = 515)

	Variables	Correct answer	Correct answers (%)	Wrong answers (%)	Mean ± standard deviation
	Respondents views
25.	Avoid taking illicit drugs/use of intravenous drugs	Yes	477 (92.6)	38 (7.4)	21.00 ± 3.98
26.	By avoiding sharing needles and syringes	Yes	501 (97.3)	14 (2.7)
27.	Having sex with only one faithful, uninfected partner	Yes	494 (95.9)	21 (4.1)
28.	Using condoms during sexual intercourse	Yes	491 (95.3)	24 (4.7)
29.	Treating STDs promptly	Yes	480 (93.2)	35 (6.8)
30.	Screening donated blood before transfusion	Yes	463 (89.9)	52 (10.1)
31.	Not sharing toilets with an infected person	No	411 (79.8)	104 (20.2)
32.	Not sharing food with an infected person	No	431 (83.7)	84 (16.3)
33.	Isolating people living with HIV/AIDS	No	367 (71.3)a	149 (28.7)
34.	Do not stay with infected person on same house	No	448 (87.0)	67 (13.0)
35.	Do not have casual contact with infected person	No	439 (85.2)	76 (14.8)
36.	Avoid mosquito bites for HIV transmission	No	406 (78.8)	109 (21.2)
	Misconceptions
37.	Love is a reason for HIV/AIDS	No	337 (65.4)a	178 (34.6)	8.03 ± 2.19
38.	AIDS is a punishment of God	No	373 (72.4)	142 (27.6)
39.	AIDS can treat by holy water	No	442 (85.8)	73 (14.2)
40.	AIDS do not come after marriage	No	454 (88.2)	61 (11.8)
41.	AIDS can be transmitted by the cough	No	461 (89.5)	54 (10.5)

aMost wrongly answered

Below:

Full article at:   http://goo.gl/ltmOcj

By:   Akshaya Srikanth Bhagavathula, Deepak Kumar Bandari, Asim Ahmad Elnour, Akram Ahmad, Muhammad Umair Khan, Mohamed Baraka, Farah Hamad, and Abdulla Shehab

Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Gondar College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Gondar, Ethiopia

Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Vagdevi College of Pharmacy, Warangal, Telangana India

Pharmacology Department, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE University, Dubai, UAE

Department of Clinical Pharmacy, UCSI University, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Dammam Eastern Province, Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Ajman University of Sciences and Technology, Ajman, UAE

Internal Medicine Department, College of Medicine and Health Sciences (CMHS), UAE University, Al Ain, UAE

Akshaya Srikanth Bhagavathula, Email: moc.liamg@dmrahpyahska.

  

More at:  https://twitter.com/hiv_insight

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