Carducci A, De Marco G, Casini B, Giuntini A, Mazzoni F, Rovini E, Calamusa A; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 1998; 12: 922 (abstract no. 43390).
Dip. Biomedicina Universita Di Pisa, Italy.
OBJECTIVES: To compare AIDS related knowledge, attitudes and sexual behaviours of Venezuelan and Italian male young people, and to evaluate their relations with the information given by media and public campaigns. METHODS: A self-compiled anonymous questionnaire was administered to 1,346 Venezuelan and to 965 Italian called up. It included 35 questions divided into 6 sections: 1) sex, age, area of residence, education level; 2) AIDS information sources and need; 3) AIDS related knowledge; 4) risk perception; 5) attitudes towards seropositive subjects; 6) sexual behaviours. The amount of information given by the media in both population was also evaluated in terms of articles published on this topic by daily papers. Statistical elaboration was carried out with uni- and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The Venezuelan group had a mean age of 19, the Italian one of 18. The majority of both groups has a high education level (59% and 69%, respectively). The most important sources of AIDS information were family (54%) for the Venezuelan sample, mass media (54%) for the Italian one, followed in both population by school (40%) among highly educated subjects. The amount of AIDS media information was much greater in Italy than in Venezuela. Knowledge about AIDS resulted strongly related with education level, but lower among the high educated Venezuelan youth than among the less educated Italian people. The mean age at the first sexual intercourse was 14.7 and 15.7 respectively for Venezuelan and Italian sample. Both groups had mostly well known partners (45 and 52%), but the frequency of multiple partners was higher (60 against 28%) and the one of condom use lower (45 against 80%) for Venezuelan people. Sexual behaviour and attitudes towards seropositives were significantly related with AIDS knowledge and this one with sources of information. CONCLUSIONS: The Venezuelan sample resulted less informed and with a higher frequency of risk behaviours than the Italian one. These differences could derive from the ones observed in the AIDS information spreading by media and public campaigns, although epidemiologic, social and cultural reasons cannot be excluded.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Attitude
- Attitude to Health
- Educational Status
- Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
- Italy
- Knowledge
- Male
- Mass Media
- Questionnaires
- Risk-Taking
- Safe Sex
- Sexual Behavior
- Sexual Partners
- South America
- Venezuela
Other ID:
UI: 102231553
From Meeting Abstracts