Masculinity, vulnerability and prevention of STD/HIV/AIDS among male adolescents: social representations in a land reform settlement

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: to analyze the relationship of masculinity, vulnerability and prevention of STD / HIV / AIDS among adolescent males of a land reform settlement in central Brazil. METHOD: a qualitative study using as precepts the strands of social representations with teenagers between 12 to 24 years. RESULTS: three categories emerged - Perception of vulnerability; Gender and vulnerability; and, Prevention and vulnerability to STD / HIV / AIDS. Adolescents felt invulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases anchored in the social representations in favor of the male hegemony. An ignorance about forms of prevention for STD / HIV / AIDS was demonstrated in their statements. It is believed that institutional projects such as the School Health Program and the Men's Health Care Program constitute essential tools to minimize factors of vulnerability in this population, since the school is recognized as a social facility that promotes socialization of experiences and contributes to the construction of the identity of the adolescent. CONCLUSION: the social representations of masculinity collaborate for the vulnerable behavior of the adolescents for the acquisition of sexually transmitted diseases. One hopes that this study can contribute to the production of knowledge and technical-scientific improvement of the professionals, especially the nurse, in order to discuss issues related to male sexuality of adolescents in the situation of the land reform settlement.

Romantic Relationships, Adolescence and HIV: Love as an Element of Vulnerability

“…In addition, it was observed that there is an increase in sexual relations and a gradual cessation of condom use over the course of the relationships, suggesting that the concern with STD is restricted to the beginning of the relationship, reducing significantly as familiarity with the partner increases, which has also been found in other studies (Arraes et al, 2013;Garcia & Souza, 2010;Oliveira et al, 2009;Oltramari & Camargo, 2010). In this regard, there is a minimum time period considered necessary for the knowledge of the partner and the establishment of a relationship of trust, in which condoms may be dispensed with in favor of the contraceptive pill.…”

“…The feeling of invulnerability among adolescents has also been identified in other studies (Arraes et al, 2013;Bralock & Koniak-Griffin, 2009;Sychareun et al, 2013). The male adolescents evaluated that they had a higher chance of being infected in the future, probably due to their greater involvement in casual relationships in comparison with the female adolescents.…”

“…Various studies have also found a relationship between the length of the relationship and protective behaviors in relation to HIV, showing that the use of condoms reduces over the course of the relationship (Arraes et al, 2013;Bralock & Koniak-Griffin, 2009;Garcia & Souza, 2010;Oltramari & Camargo, 2010) and is significantly more frequent in casual relationships than in stable ones (Giacomozzi & Camargo, 2011;Camargo et al, 2010;Garcia & Souza, 2010;Oliveira, Pontes, Gomes, & Ribeiro, 2009). The adoption or not of protective conducts in relation to HIV is linked to the evaluation which the person makes in relation to their own exposure to the virus, which also has to do with the perception of the extent to which the partner represents a risk for the occurrence of contagion.…”

Perfil Epidemiológico Da Aids Em Contagem, Minas Gerais, Brasil, Entre 2007 E 2011

“…Entre esses fatores, destacam-se o acesso à educação e aos serviços de saúde, principalmente aqueles relacionados ao aconselhamento e testagem sorológica rápida da doença, sendo, portanto, alvos importantes para as políticas públicas de saúde. 3,4,8,15,16 De modo geral, nas últimas dé-cadas têm se destacado o maior acesso da população ao diagnóstico da doença, com a ampliação dos Centros de Aconselhamento e Testagens para as Doenças Sexualmente Tabela 2. Coeficiente de incidência de aids (por 100.000 hab.…”

“…5,6 Nos últimos trinta anos, o perfil epidemiológico da aids em várias regiões do mundo vem apresentando mudanças, por exemplo a elevação do número de casos entre mulheres, jovens e pessoas com menor grau de escolaridade, além de heterossexualização e interiorização da epidemia. 3,4,7,8 Não obstante essas alterações, a OMS relata uma redução do número de casos em âmbito mundial.…”