24 research outputs found

    Entre o medo da contaminação pelo HIV e as representações simbólicas da AIDS: o espectro do desespero contemporâneo

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    Este estudo pretende colaborar para uma melhor compreensão dos sentimentos provocados no ser humano vivendo em plena era da AIDS. A falta de informação e, por consequência, o desconhecimento sobre a AIDS, sua dinâmica de transmissão e as medidas preventivas adequadas, transformam a convivência com esta síndrome num fator estressante para muitas pessoas, gerando sentimentos de medo e suscitando a correlação com diferentes representações simbólicas ligadas à contaminação pelo HIV. Vários autores formularam modelos teóricos para explicar esta correlação. Neste trabalho procura-se verificar os sentimentos emergentes e a respectiva vinculação aos significados simbólicos da doença sob o prisma destas teorias. Foram entrevistadas 31 pessoas, sendo 10 estudantes de diferentes cursos superiores da Universidade de São Paulo e 21 detentos do Sistema Penitenciário do Estado de São Paulo. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que, apesar dos grupos apresentarem características diferentes entre si, ambos atribuiram à AIDS significados simbólicos ligados ao medo da contaminação pelo HIVLack of knowledge and mis informations on HIV/AIDS are predictors of emotional responses as fear of contagion, homophobia, avoidance and excessive precautions. Fear of contagion is an affective stress response to the neurocognitive activity that leads to a perceived threat of AIDS in connection with the symbolic meanings os illness. Focused interviews were conducted with an opportunistic sample of 31 young people to know the affective responses and behaviors after blood screening for HIV antibody testing. The findings confirm the relationship of symbolic representation of illness as mystery, death, punishment and sexuality to fear of contagion and mitic conception of AIDS

    HIV/STI risk-reduction intervention efficacy with South African adolescents over 54 months

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    Little research has tested HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) risk-reduction interventions' effects on early adolescents as they age into middle and late adolescence. This study tested whether intervention-induced reductions in unprotected intercourse during a 12-month period endured over a 54-month period and whether the intervention reduced the prevalence of STIs, which increase risk for HIV. Grade 6 learners (mean age = 12.4 years) participated in a 12-month trial in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, in which 9 matched pairs of schools were randomly selected and within pairs randomized to a theory-based HIV/STI risk-reduction intervention or an attention-control intervention. They completed 42- and 54-month post-intervention measures of unprotected intercourse (the primary outcome), other sexual behaviors, theoretical constructs, and, at 42- and 54-month follow-up only, biologically confirmed curable STIs (chlamydial infection, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis) and herpes simplex virus 2. Results: The HIV/STI risk-reduction intervention reduced unprotected intercourse averaged over the entire follow-up period, an effect not significantly reduced at 42- and 54-month follow-up compared with 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups. The intervention caused positive changes on theoretical constructs averaged over the 5 follow-ups, although most effects weakened at long-term follow-up. Although the intervention's main effect on STIs was nonsignificant, an Intervention Condition X Time interaction revealed that it significantly reduced curable STIs at 42-month follow-up in adolescents who reported sexual experience. These results suggest that theory-based behavioral interventions with early adolescents can have long-lived effects in the context of a generalized severe HIV epidemic.
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