AEGiS-14IAC: Help line for HIV/AIDS: Some experiences.

14th International AIDS Conference


Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

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Help line for HIV/AIDS: Some experiences.

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. E11447)

Phalgune DS
University of Pune, Pune, India

BACKGROUND: HIV/AIDS Hotlines are growing in number in major Asian cities providing anonymous information and counseling about HIV/AIDS .University of Pune, India started Help line for HIV/AIDS in the year 1999.

METHODS: The telephone calls received for help line were entered in a register . The age, sex, marital status, residential area etc. were noted by asking questions to the caller. Data were analyzed according to the type of questions into different heads such as HIV/AIDS, STDs, sexuality etc.

RESULTS: Out of 1290 phone calls only 32 (2.5 % ) were of females. 344 ( (26.7%) queries were related to HIV transmission, availability of tests for detection, symptoms, treatment of AIDS, and prevention of HIV. Out of 386 phone calls by married men 153 ( 39.6 %) questions were related to premature ejaculation & 33 ( 8.5% ) to erectile dysfunction . 266 / 872 (30.5 %) male students asked questions related to nocturnal emission, masturbation, size and shape of erect penis etc.

CONCLUSIONS: Help line is very useful to remove misconceptions and for providing scientific information to anonymous callers regarding HIV/AIDS, STDs, sexuality etc.

Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Infections, HIV Seropositivity, Sex Behavior, Hotlines, Students, Counseling, Coitus, Universities, Sexuality, India, Human, Female, MaleKWDaegis,acquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome,hivinfections,hivseropositivity,sexbehavior,hotlines,students,counseling,coitus,universities,sexuality,india,human,female,male

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E11447

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