Meeting the sexual health needs of men who have sex with men in Senegal

A study conducted in Dakar, Senegal by researchers from the National AIDS Council, Cheikh Anta Diop University, and the Horizons program obtained information on the needs, behaviors, knowledge, and attitudes of men who have sex with men (MSM). This study offers important insights into the sexuality of MSM, their vulnerability to STI/HIV, and the role of violence and stigma in their lives. The results also highlight the lack of sexual health services and information available to cover the specific needs of MSM. The results of this study were summarized during a meeting held in April 2001 in Dakar and raised awareness of the importance for public health of developing non-stigmatizing interventions for MSM. The results led to the establishment of an NGO pool to develop and coordinate activities for MSM in Dakar

Qualitative changes in AIDS preventative attitudes in a rural Senegalese population.

Recent changes in knowledge and attitudes towards AIDS in a rural population of Senegal were assessed comparing two cross-sectional studies conducted six years apart (1997 and 2003). Random samples of 866 and 709 adults aged 15-59 were included. Sociodemographic characteristics of the two population samples were very similar. The proportion of those who estimated their personal risk of being infected by HIV as high or very high fell from 49.1% in 1997 to 17.2% in 2003. The proportion of those who reported having already changed their behaviour to protect themselves from AIDS fell from 56.3% to 24.9%. Methods cited as protection against HIV changed over the period. Fidelity and/or partner selection was cited by 93% of respondents in 1997 and 58% in 2003 when suspicion of potentially soiled materials appeared. Finally, attitudes towards persons living with HIV or AIDS (PLWHA) in 2003 were ambivalent: while 73.9% thought that a PLWHA should not be allowed to mix with other villagers, 65.1% would be ready to provide care to a PLWHA. Drastic changes in attitudes towards the AIDS threat could be identified over the period. AIDS preventive attitudes measured in 1997 were not sustained in 2003, while stigmatization of PLWHA was very widespread

Homo-bisexualités au Sénégal : une réalité multiforme

International audienceSuite à une enquête menée en 2004 (Wade et al. 2005), une enquête épidémiologique a été conduite en 2007 au Sénégal auprès d’hommes ayant des rapports sexuels avec d’autres hommes (HSH). Cette étude a été réalisée sur trois sites : Dakar, la capitale, Mbour/Thiès, une zone touristique en bord de mer, et Saint-Louis, une ville de taille moyenne au Nord du pays. Elle comportait à la fois un volet quantitatif et un volet qualitatif. Un questionnaire standardisé sociodémographique et comportemental a été administré en face-à-face à 501 HSH recrutés par la méthode « -boules de neige- », suivi par un examen clinique et un prélèvement de sang et d’urine pour la réalisation de tests VIH et IST. Par ailleurs, douze entretiens exploratoires ont été menés auprès d’hommes déclarant une ou plusieurs partenaires féminines et douze autres auprès de femmes déclarées partenaires féminines par des HSH, après accord de ces derniers. Aux partenaires féminines, l’entretien a été présenté comme s’inscrivant dans le cadre d’une étude concernant la santé de la reproduction

Satisfaire aux besoins de santé des hommes qui ont des rapports sexuels avec d’autres hommes au Sénégal

A study conducted in Dakar, Senegal by researchers from the National AIDS Council, Cheikh Anta Diop University, and the Horizons program obtained information on the needs, behaviors, knowledge, and attitudes of men who have sex with men (MSM). This study offers important insights into the sexuality of MSM, their vulnerability to STI/HIV, and the role of violence and stigma in their lives. The results also highlight the lack of sexual health services and information available to cover the specific needs of MSM. The results of this study were summarized during a meeting held in April 2001 in Dakar and raised awareness of the importance for public health of developing non-stigmatizing interventions for MSM. The results led to the establishment of an NGO pool to develop and coordinate activities for MSM in Dakar