AEGiS-14IAC: Promiscuity: what does it means ?

14th International AIDS Conference


Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

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Promiscuity: what does it means ?

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. D11112)

Silva RC, Simon CP
Department of Psychology and Education of Ribeirao Preto-- University of Sao Paulo USP, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil

BACKGROUND: In a previous study, with 1235 youngsters between 13 and 25 years, low income students from Ribeirao Preto, SP, Brazil, we showed that 485 (39.3%) of them had designated as true the affirmation: "only promiscuous people catch AIDS "; and 410 (33.2%) ) declared not to know if the affirmation was or not true. Considering those results, and the common use of the term " Promiscuity " in educative materials used in AIDS prevention campaigns, we decided to design a study whose objective was to verify the meanings attributed to the term promiscuity.

METHODS: We recruited 517 youngsters, between 13 and 25 years; 275 (53.2%) male, and 383 (74.1%) between 13 and 18 years old. Through a standardized questionnaire, answered anonymously we asked an open question: " What do you understand by promiscuous people ". It was proceeded a content analysis, using the frequency figures of thematic categories found in the responses.

RESULTS: The following explanatory axes for the question had been found: 1. Diversity of sexual partners without criteria; 2. Diversity of sexual partners associated to social stigmatization patterns; 3. Negative Conceptions: they are "socially stigmatized people"; 4. Responses that reveal unfamiliarity with the term; 5. Vague responses; and 6. No response. No significant statistical differences between the two studied age subgroups, and genders have been observed.

CONCLUSIONS: Some terms, such as Promiscuity, still frequently used in campaigns and educative materials, represents true obstacles to the perception of vulnerability to HIV/AIDS. Plenty of stigmatization terms as promiscuous people always place the AIDS as farthest condition. Supported by: FAPESP, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Sexual Partners, HIV Infections, HIV Seropositivity, Students, Questionnaires, Brazil, MaleKWDaegis,acquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome,sexualpartners,hivinfections,hivseropositivity,students,questionnaires,brazil,male

020707
D11112

Copyright © 2002 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.