AEGiS-11IAC: AIDS-related risk behaviors and beliefs: a study in a sample of cocaine dependent patients from Brazil.

11th International AIDS Conference

Vancouver, British Columbia — July 7-12, 1996

AIDS-related risk behaviors and beliefs: a study in a sample of cocaine dependent patients from Brazil.

Int Conf AIDS 1996 Jul 7-12; 11:483 (abstract no. Pub.D.1291)
da Silveira X, DaRos VL, Razzouk D, Mesquita A; PROAD, Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brasil. Fax: (55-11) 570.1543. E-mail: dartiu.dpsi@epm.br.

OBJECTIVE: to determine AIDS-related sexual risk behaviors and knowledge in a sample of male addicts and to study the association between condom use and variables related to knowledge, beliefs and alcohol consumption.

METHODS: seventy-six male cocaine dependent patients (DSM-IV Criteria) were administered a structured questionnaire collecting data on socio-demographics, AIDS-related sexual risk behaviors, perceived risk, knowledge and lifetime, past 6 months and present drug use. The Chi-square, The Fisher Exact Test and the Odds Ratio were employed in order to analyze the data, with minimum significance of 5% or p is less than 0.05.

RESULTS: Subjects presented a mean age of 28.6 years, 79% were white, 46% had accomplished at least high school and 61% were employed. Condom use was associated to: partner's demand (p is less than 0.05); partner's wish to avoid pregnancy (p is less than 0.05); and addict's fear of contracting AIDS (trend). The behavior of not using condoms was associated to: the addict's belief his partner will not transmit AIDS (p is less than 0.05); the partner's belief that she herself is not infected (trend); and the addict's belief he will not get infected (trend). Surprisingly, a strong correlation between low level of condom use and high scores of knowledge on HIV related issues was observed (OR=6.0; CL= 1.55-24.91; p=0.00846). Contrary to heavy drinkers, all abstinent, mild or moderate alcohol users (World Health Organization's criteria) justified their disliking to use condoms as a major reason for not using them. Finally a positive correlation between the addict's dislike of using condoms and actually not using them was observed (p is less than 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS: This study enabled us to verify that the addict's sexual partner's attitudes towards condom use is a major issue in determining the use of condoms. It also allowed us to observe that knowledge itself does not necessarily assure safer sex behavior. Associated heavy alcohol consumption among cocaine addicts did not reduce the frequency of condom use. These data enable prevention agents to stress the importance of the addict's sexual partner's attitudes towards the use of preservatives. Further studies are required in order to verify possible confounding factors.

Keywords: AEGIS, Risk-Taking, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Condoms, Sex Behavior, Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, HIV Infections, Whites, Questionnaires, Substance-Related Disorders, Brazil, Male, Human, Female, Pregnancy, ICA11

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PubD1291