Conhecimento sobre a transmissão de HIV/AIDS entre adolescentes com 11 anos de idade do sul do Brasil

Translated title of the contribution: HIV/AIDS transmission knowledge among adolescents aged 11 years from southern Brazil

Helen Gonçalves, David Alejandro González-Chica, Ana Maria Baptista Menezes, Pedro C. Hallal, Cora L.P. Araújo, Samuel C. Dumith

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the effect of demographic, socioeconomic, educational and family variables on HIV/AIDS knowledge among adolescents aged 11 years. Methods: 3,949 adolescents born in Pelotas (Brazil). HIV/AIDS knowledge was assessed through a self-administered questionnaire and measured through five questions about HIV transmission: heterosexual intercourse, homosexual intercourse, needle sharing, open-mouth kissing and hugging someone with AIDS. All the analyses were adjusted based on a hierarchical model, using Poisson regression with robust adjustment of variance. Results: Prevalence of wrong answers to the examined questions were 17.2% for heterosexual transmission, 44.1% for homosexual intercourse, 34.9% for needle sharing, 25.6% for kiss on the mouth and 16.2% for hugging someone with AIDS. In adjusted analysis, lower knowledge levels were more prevalent among boys, adolescents with lower socioeconomic status and with less maternal education level, among those who had not talked about sex with mother and without sexual education lessons at school. Knowledge was not associated with school type (public or private), skin color or talk about sex with father. Conclusion: Providing information to adolescents is essential to improve knowledge about HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, especially among young males, with lower socioeconomic status and with lower maternal education level. Public policies aimed to reducing HIV infection should consider maternal and school relevance to improve knowledge on adolescents.

Translated title of the contributionHIV/AIDS transmission knowledge among adolescents aged 11 years from southern Brazil
Original languagePortuguese
Pages (from-to)420-431
Number of pages12
JournalRevista Brasileira de Epidemiologia
Volume16
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2013
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
  • Adolescent
  • HIV
  • HIV infections - transmission
  • Knowledge

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

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