AEGiS-10IAC: Sexual culture, sexual identity and risk--understanding young people's responses to HIV: initial findings from WHO/GPA Multi-Site Studies.

10th International AIDS Conference


Yokohama, Japan — Aug 7-12, 1994

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Sexual culture, sexual identity and risk--understanding young people's responses to HIV: initial findings from WHO/GPA Multi-Site Studies.

Int Conf AIDS 1994 Aug 7-12; 10:398 (abstract no. PD0772)
Aggleton PJ, Malcolm A, Dowsett G, Schifter J, Tan M, Jenkins C, Runganga A, Marshall MT, Abega SC; World Health Organization, Global Programme on AIDS, Sydney, Australia.

OBJECTIVES: Recent surveys in developing countries have provided much information on reported variations in patterns of sexual behaviour, but have offered little insight into the contexts and meanings of sex and sex-related risk. Social and cultural systems significantly shape our understanding and experience of sex. Enquiry into sexual meanings, sexual cultures and the processes of sexual development is therefore essential for the development of appropriate interventions for HIV risk reduction, particularly amongst young people.

METHODS: GPA/SSB has recently supported multi-site studies of contextual factors affecting risk-related sexual behaviour amongst young people in Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Costa Rica, Chile, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines. Qualitative research techniques, including focus groups, individual interviews and participant observation are being used at each site.

RESULTS: Preliminary findings from these studies will be described, including (i) contexts for sexual activity, (ii) the meanings attached to sex and different sexual practices, (iii) sexual behaviours perceived as risky within a particular context and (iv) sexual identity development amongst young people in each site. These findings highlight the diversity of ways in which young people come to understand sex-related risks linked to HIV.

DISCUSSION: The above findings will be discussed in relation to the challenges they pose for the conventional theories of adolescent social development, and in relation to intervention development for young people in and out of school.

Keywords: AEGIS, HIV, Culture, Gender Identity, Risk, Risk-Taking, HIV Infections, Coitus, Risk Factors, Social Change, Zimbabwe, Philippines, Cameroon, Papua New Guinea, Chile, Costa Rica, Adolescence, ethnology, diagnosis, ICA10KWDaegis,hiv,culture,genderidentity,risk,risk-taking,hivinfections,coitus,riskfactors,socialchange,zimbabwe,philippines,cameroon,papuanewguinea,chile,costarica,adolescence,ethnology,diagnosis,ica10
940807
PD0772

Copyright © 1994 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.