Knowledge, Awareness and Behavior: HIV/AIDS and Disasters

African Americans are the most affected by HIV/AIDS. Both males and females continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. They are often drug users or participate in street/drug subculture. Recent weather disasters have required identification of knowledge, beliefs, conduct norms and behavior patterns that are HIV/AIDS risk factors for disaster survivors. This paper examines patterns of behavior and common practices related to HIV among disaster survivors.

Study background

Data for this paper come from a three year renewal project which focused upon the processes by which illicit drug markets were reformulated after disasters and practices of risk behaviors for HIV/AIDS. Hurricanes Katrina, Gustav and Ike presented the opportunity to examine the impact of disasters upon risky behavior among illicit drug users and sellers.

Methods

From 2010-2013 ethnographic study was conducted in New Orleans, Louisiana, Houston and Galveston, Texas. Staff completed in-depth interviews with 132 focal respondents of drug users and sellers. There were 57 focus groups with 243 focus group participants; 350 drug using/selling respondents completed a survey protocol (CAPI), organized around their experiences during the hurricanes.

Results

In both cities respondents displayed knowledge about HIV, modes of transmission and knew that HIV infection can lead to AIDS. Knowledge about time between exposure and infection was mostly imprecise. Most respondents reported they had been tested for HIV multiple times. A large number of participants reported learning about HIV in school, older respondents (mid-40s to 60) reported their knowledge came from television or the streets. Participants expressed fatalistic attitudes toward HIV, believing the virus was fatal even with medication.

Conclusion

With the increase of disasters, more attention needs to be placed upon programs focused on drug consumers. Schools, clinics, public information sources, i.e., TV and radio can make understanding HIV/AIDS a priority through taking into consideration specific populations and making sure literature and other forms of information is adjusted to their understanding.

Full article at:   http://goo.gl/02sruz

By:  Eloise Dunlap

Eloise Dunlap, Director, National Development and Research Institutes, New York, USA;

^*Corresponding author: Eloise Dunlap, Director, National Development and Research Institutes, Institute for Special Population Research, 71 West 23rd Street, 4th floor, New York, United States, Tel: 6466427358; Fax: 9174380894

J Alcohol Drug Depend. 2016 Feb; 4(1): 230.

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Knowledge of University Students in Szeged, Hungary About Reliable Contraception Methods & Sexually Transmitted Diseases

INTRODUCTION:

Promiscuity and lack of use of reliable contraceptive methods increase the probability of sexually transmitted diseases and the risk of unwanted pregnancies, which are quite common among university students.

AIM:

The aim of the study was to assess the knowledge of university students about reliable contraceptive methods and sexually transmitted diseases, and to assess the effectiveness of the sexual health education in secondary schools, with specific focus on the education held by peers.

METHOD:

An anonymous, self-administered questionnaire survey was carried out in a randomized sample of students at the University of Szeged (n = 472, 298 women and 174 men, average age 21 years) between 2009 and 2011.

RESULTS:

62.1% of the respondents declared that reproductive health education lessons in high schools held by peers were reliable and authentic source of information, 12.3% considered as a less reliable source, and 25.6% defined the school health education as irrelevant source. Among those, who considered the health education held by peers as a reliable source, there were significantly more females (69.3% vs. 46.6%, p = 0.001), significantly fewer lived in cities (83.6% vs. 94.8%, p = 0.025), and significantly more responders knew that Candida infection can be transmitted through sexual intercourse (79.5% versus 63.9%, p = 0.02) as compared to those who did not consider health education held by peers as a reliable source. The majority of respondents obtained knowledge about sexual issues from the mass media.

CONCLUSIONS:

Young people who considered health educating programs reliable were significantly better informed about Candida disease

Purchase full article [Article in Hungarian] at:  http://goo.gl/SPkzcb

By:  Devosa I1,2, Kozinszky Z1,3, Vanya M1,4,5, Szili K1,4,5, Fáyné Dombi A1,2,6, Barabás K7.

• 1Egészségtudományi és Egészségfejlesztő Kutató Csoport, Kecskeméti Főiskola, Tanítóképző Főiskolai Kar Kecskemét.
• 2Szegedi Akadémiai Bizottság Oktatáselméleti Munkabizottság, Magyar Tudományos Akadémia Szeged.
• 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Blekinge Hospital Karlskrona, Svédország.
• 4Szent-Györgyi Albert Klinikai Központ, Szülészeti és Nőgyógyászai Klinika, Szegedi Tudományegyetem, Általános Orvostudományi Kar Szeged.
• 5Mediteam Zrt. Szeged.
• 6Tanító- és Óvóképző Intézet, Alkalmazott Pedagógia és Pszichológia Tanszék, Szegedi Tudományegyetem, Juhász Gyula Pedagógusképző Kar Szeged.
• 7Magatartástudományi Intézet, Szegedi Tudományegyetem, Általános Orvostudományi Kar Szeged.
• Orv Hetil. 2016 Apr;157(14):539-46. doi: 10.1556/650.2015.30356.

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Prevention & Care of Pediatric HIV Infection in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso: Knowledge, Attitudes & Practices of the Caregivers

Background

The paediatric Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) epidemic still progresses because of operational challenges in implementing prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMCT) programs. We assessed the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of children’s caregivers regarding mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV, paediatric HIV infection, early infant diagnosis (EID), and paediatric antiretroviral treatment in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Methods

We undertook a qualitative survey in the four public hospitals managing HIV exposed or infected children, in Ouagadougou in 2011. A sociologist used a semi-structured questionnaire to interview caregivers of children less than 5 years old attending the paediatrics wards on their KAP. Study participants were divided into four groups as follows:

those who did not yet know their children’s HIV infection status, those who were waiting for their children’s HIV test results, those who were waiting for antiretroviral treatment, and those who were already on antiretroviral treatment.

Results

A total of 37 caregivers were interviewed. The mean age was 32.5 years, and 29 (78 %) were mothers. Twenty seven (73 %) caregivers had primary or higher level of education, and 15 (40 %) described their occupation as “housewife”. Overall, 36 (97 %) of caregivers knew that the main route of HIV transmission for infants was through MTCT and 14 (38 %) specified that it occurred during pregnancy or delivery. Five percent thought that MTCT of HIV occurred during conception. PMTCT interventions could help prevent infant HIV infection according to 32 (87 %) caregivers. Thirty five percent of caregivers stated EID as a prevention strategy. Fifty-four percent of the participants believed that replacement feeding option would prevent MTCT of HIV; 24 (65 %) stated that they would prefer medical practitioners seek caregivers’ consent before carrying out any HIV-test for their child, and that caregivers’ consent was not compulsory before antiretroviral treatment. All caregivers thought that it was necessary to treat HIV-infected children, although they did not know what interventions could be done.

Conclusions

This study highlighted the low level of caregivers’ knowledge on paediatric HIV prevention and care in Ouagadougou. Awareness programs targeting caregivers need to be strengthened in order to improve the uptake of HIV early infant diagnosis and care.

Caregivers’ knowledge, attitudes and perceptions in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, 2011

	Total N = 37 100 %	Group 1 N = 11 100 %	Group 2 N = 4 100 %	Group 3 N = 5 100 %	Group 4 N = 17 100 %	Groups 1 + 2 + 3 N = 20 100 %	P-value (Group 1 + 2 + 3 vs Group 4)
Caregiver’s knowledge of existing interventions to prevent MTCT of HIV
Yes	30 (81)	7 (64)	4 (100)	3 (60)	16 (94)	14 (70)	0.16
No	1 (3)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (20)	0 (0)	1 (5)
No response	6 (16)	4 (36)	0 (0)	1 (20)	1 (6)	5 (25)
Caregiver’s knowledge regarding existing methods of infant HIV diagnosis
Yes	32 (86)	8 (73)	4 (100)	5 (100)	15 (88)	17 (85)	0.77
No	5 (14)	3 (27)	0 (0)	0 (0)	2 (12)	3 (15)
Caregiver’s knowledge regarding existing treatment of HIV-infected infants
Yes	37 (100)	11 (100)	4 (100)	5 (100)	17 (100)		Not applicable
No	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)
Caregiver’s attitude regarding the practice of their child systematic HIV testing
For	31 (84)	11 (100)	3 (75)	4 (80)	13 (76)	18 (90)	0.26
Against	6 (16)	0 (0)	1 (25)	1 (20)	4 (24)	2 (10)
Caregiver’s attitude regarding the antiretroviral treatment of HIV-infected children
For	37 (100)	11 (100)	4 (100)	5 (100)	17 (100)	20 (100)	Not applicable
Against	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	0 (0)
Parent’s consent needed for child HIV-test
Yes	24 (65)	8 (73)	3 (75)	4 (80)	9 (53)	15 (75)	0.16
No	13 (35)	3 (27)	1 (25)	1 (20)	8 (47)	5 (25)
Parent’s consent needed for child treatment
Yes	11 (30)	6 (55)	0 (0)	1 (20)	4 (24)	7 (35)	0.25
No	24 (65)	4 (36)	3 (75)	4 (80)	13 (76)	11 (55)
No response	2 (5)	1 (9)	1 (25)	0 (0)	0 (0)	2 (10)

Group 1: caregivers of HIV-infected child currently treated with antiretroviral therapy

Group 2: caregivers of HIV-infected child not yet initiated on antiretroviral therapy

Group 3: caregivers waiting for their child’s HIV post-test result

Group 4: caregivers attending paediatric ward, with an unknown HIV child status

Vs versus

Full article at:   http://goo.gl/1Dwg43

By:  Malik Coulibaly, Elisabeth Thio, Caroline Yonaba, Sylvie Ouédraogo, Nicolas Meda, Fla Kouéta, Désiré Lucien Dahourou, Angèle Kalmogho, Mady Gansonré, Diarra Yé, Ludovic Kam, Valériane Leroy, and for the MONOD Study Group*

Projet MONOD, ANRS 12206, Centre de Recherche Internationale pour la Santé, 09 BP 168 Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Centre Muraz, Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso

CHU Charles De Gaules, Service de Pédiatrie médicale, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

CHU Yalgado Ouédraogo, Service de Pédiatrie, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Inserm U1219, Institut de Santé Publique, Epidémiologie et Développement, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France

Inserm U1027 Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse 3, Toulouse, France

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Misconceptions About HIV Infection in Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo): A Case-Control Study on Knowledge, Attitudes & Practices

To evaluate the prevalence of HIV-related misconceptions in an outpatient centre of Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo) and analyse the association between these beliefs and HIV infection.

A case-control study was carried out from December 2010 until June 2012. We assessed 1630 participants aged 15-49 attending a primary outpatient centre in Kinshasa: 762 HIV Voluntary Counselling and Testing attendees and 868 blood donors. A 59-item questionnaire about knowledge, attitudes and practice was administered during a face-to-face interview, followed by an HIV test. Cases and controls were respondents with a newly diagnosed HIV-positive or HIV-negative test, respectively. Unconditional logistic regression was used to analyse the association between misconceptions and HIV seropositivity.

274 cases and 1340 controls were recruited. Cases were more likely than controls to have

• a low socioeconomic status, 
• no education, 
• to be divorced/separated or widowed. 

An association was found between the following variables and HIV seropositivity: 

• having a poor HIV knowledge, 
• not knowing a virus is the cause of AIDS 
• and reporting more than three HIV-transmission-related misconceptions, such as
• thinking an HIV-positive person cannot look healthy 
• that HIV is transmitted 
• by sorcery, 
• God's punishment, 
• a kiss on the mouth, 
• mosquitoes, 
• coughs/sneezes 
• or under-cooked food.

Despite having access to healthcare services, there are still many people in Kinshasa that have HIV-related misconceptions that increase their HIV risk. Our findings underscore the need for a culturally adapted and gender-orientated basic HIV information into Congolese HIV prevention programmes.

Purchase full article at: http://goo.gl/vsr4BD

By: Carlos S1, Martínez-González MÁ2, Burgueño E3, López-Del Burgo C1, Ruíz-Canela M4, Ndarabu A5, Tshilolo L5, Tshiswaka P6, Labarga P7, de Irala J1.

• 1Preventive Medicine and Public Health Department, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain Institute for Culture and Society (ICS), Education of Affectivity and Human Sexuality, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
• 2Preventive Medicine and Public Health Department, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBER obn), Spanish Government (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.
• 3Preventive Medicine and Public Health Department, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain Monkole Hospital, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
• 4Preventive Medicine and Public Health Department, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
• 5Monkole Hospital, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
• 6Institut Supérieur de Sciences Infirmières (ISSI), Monkole Hospital, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
• 7Infectious Diseases Service, Carlos III Hospital, Madrid, Spain.

  

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