Vulnerabilidade ao HIV/Aids de pessoas heterossexuais casadas ou em união estável

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:To study knowledge, preventive behavior, and perception regarding HIV/AIDS of heterosexual men and women that are married or in a common-law marriage. METHODS:Exploratory study carried out in the Federal District of Brazil, between 2001 and 2002. Heterosexual men and women (N=200) aged 18 and 49, married or in a common-law marriage were divided into two groups: (I) 50 couples approached in public places, and (II) 100 users of a Basic Health Unit, 50 were women and 50 were men. The instrument for data collection was a semi-structured questionnaire on demographic, socioeconomic and behavioral characteristics of the interviewees, with 38 questions, two of which were open. RESULTS:The age distribution between the groups was similar, but group I had a higher level of schooling and income, while group II had less knowledge about the ways that HIV is transmitted. The use of condoms was equally mentioned by both groups as one of the types of prevention. Of the interviewees, 14% reported its regular use in the last year. The main reasons for not using condoms were "trusting the partner" and "being incompatible with having a fi xed partner". The perception of the risk of infection was more frequent among women. CONCLUSIONS:The population studied was vulnerable to the risk of getting the disease, although the interviewees had enough knowledge on HIV/AIDS. Their perceptions of the couple refl ected their acculturation in relation to gender roles and the hierarchization of the affective-sexual relationship, which can contribute to the small adoption of preventive behavior.

Vulnerabilidade de mulheres em união heterossexual estável à infecção pelo HIV/Aids: estudo de representações sociais

“…As variáveis de opinião evocadas reproduzem construções sociais e culturais que estabelecem papeis e funções diferenciados para homens e mulheres de tal forma que os cuidados com a higiene e a realização de exames periódicos relacionados com a saúde sexual e a prevenção de doenças são atribuídas como responsabilidade das mulheres, enquanto, o uso da camisinha é uma ação eminentemente masculina. Essas representações revelam questões de gênero traduzidas na compreensão multidimensional e dinâmica do que significa ser homem ou mulher dentro de contextos sociais específicos (8) .…”

“…Nessa perspectiva, o amor pressupõe entrega ao outro e, no exercício da sexualidade essa representação pode influenciar o abandono de práticas sexuais seguras, como o uso do preservativo e com que as mulheres, em especial, acreditem estar protegidas (8) .…”

“…A associação da AIDS ao enfoque de grupo de risco, influenciada por campanhas educativas que enfatizam os comportamentos sexuais na susceptibilidade ao HIV, determina que as pessoas, de forma geral, se definam como isentas da possibilidade de adquirir a doença, comprometendo, consequentemente, a adoção de ações de prevenção (7) . Estudos sobre a percepção de mulheres casadas/em união estável sobre ações preventivas frente ao HIV/Aids são escassos, sendo ressaltada a interface de significação da infecção e adoecimento pelo HIV com moralidades relacionadas ao casamento e papéis assumidos pelos parceiros (8) . Estudo realizado com mulheres que viviam em união estável a confiança no parceiro representou uma explicação frequente para a não utilização do preservativo constituindo fator de vulnerabilidade para ambos (9) .…”

Risk behavior for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus among motel clients

“…Of the respondents, 95% knew about condoms as a form of prevention, however, only 14% reported their use in the last 12 months, and 9% of the population surveyed had an extramarital relation without using condoms (4) . Similar data on the use of condoms in casual relationships have been of these individuals reporting not having adopted the use of condoms in all their casual relationships (5) .…”

“…The behavior exhibited by heterosexual couples with respect to the practice of safe sex and awareness has been an obstacle to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, since there is still a perception that a relationship grounded in love, complicity, respect, loyalty and trust ensures that men and women are protected from the risk of infection (4) .…”