Safe-sex knowledge, self-assessed HIV risk, and sexual behaviour of young Portuguese women

Detalhes bibliográficos
Autor(a) principal: Costa, Eleonora C. V.
Data de Publicação: 2018
Outros Autores: McIntyre, Teresa, Ferreira, Domingos
Tipo de documento: Artigo
Idioma: eng
Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.14/33143
Resumo: Background: Young women make up most cases of HIV infection in Portugal (e.g., 26% in 2012), but their sexual behaviour, ability to recognize sexually transmitted disease (STD) risk in partners, and knowledge and practice of safe sex are underresearched. Methods: We studied these issues in a group of 177 women from Northern Portugal, together with their social, educational, and religious background. The women filled out several self-report questionnaires developed in the USA that have been adapted and validated for use in Portugal. They assess HIV knowledge, risk perception, and sexual risk behaviour. Results: We documented good knowledge about HIV transmission and prevention, although there are still some myths; 79.9% of the women knew that condoms prevent HIV transmission, but only 46% of them declared to use them regularly. Thus, knowledge does not imply adequate preventive behaviour. Women lacking higher education had poorer knowledge of HIV biology and of partner HIV risk. Despite being aware of HIV cases in their communities, most women deemed themselves at little risk, especially those lacking higher education, with many arguing that monogamy protects them, and, importantly, many preferring to ignore their partners' current and past behaviour when assessing their exposure. Conclusion: These results point to important intervention targets for campaigns to curb STD infections among young women.
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spelling Safe-sex knowledge, self-assessed HIV risk, and sexual behaviour of young Portuguese womenHIVPortuguese womenRisk perceptionSafe-sex knowledgeSexual behaviourBackground: Young women make up most cases of HIV infection in Portugal (e.g., 26% in 2012), but their sexual behaviour, ability to recognize sexually transmitted disease (STD) risk in partners, and knowledge and practice of safe sex are underresearched. Methods: We studied these issues in a group of 177 women from Northern Portugal, together with their social, educational, and religious background. The women filled out several self-report questionnaires developed in the USA that have been adapted and validated for use in Portugal. They assess HIV knowledge, risk perception, and sexual risk behaviour. Results: We documented good knowledge about HIV transmission and prevention, although there are still some myths; 79.9% of the women knew that condoms prevent HIV transmission, but only 46% of them declared to use them regularly. Thus, knowledge does not imply adequate preventive behaviour. Women lacking higher education had poorer knowledge of HIV biology and of partner HIV risk. Despite being aware of HIV cases in their communities, most women deemed themselves at little risk, especially those lacking higher education, with many arguing that monogamy protects them, and, importantly, many preferring to ignore their partners' current and past behaviour when assessing their exposure. Conclusion: These results point to important intervention targets for campaigns to curb STD infections among young women.Veritati - Repositório Institucional da Universidade Católica PortuguesaCosta, Eleonora C. V.McIntyre, TeresaFerreira, Domingos2021-05-14T14:42:10Z20182018-01-01T00:00:00Zinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/articleapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/10400.14/33143eng0870-902510.1159/00048646685070230767info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessreponame:Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)instname:Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informaçãoinstacron:RCAAP2023-09-26T01:43:34Zoai:repositorio.ucp.pt:10400.14/33143Portal AgregadorONGhttps://www.rcaap.pt/oai/openaireopendoar:71602024-03-19T18:26:47.699789Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos) - Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informaçãofalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Safe-sex knowledge, self-assessed HIV risk, and sexual behaviour of young Portuguese women
title Safe-sex knowledge, self-assessed HIV risk, and sexual behaviour of young Portuguese women
spellingShingle Safe-sex knowledge, self-assessed HIV risk, and sexual behaviour of young Portuguese women
Costa, Eleonora C. V.
HIV
Portuguese women
Risk perception
Safe-sex knowledge
Sexual behaviour
title_short Safe-sex knowledge, self-assessed HIV risk, and sexual behaviour of young Portuguese women
title_full Safe-sex knowledge, self-assessed HIV risk, and sexual behaviour of young Portuguese women
title_fullStr Safe-sex knowledge, self-assessed HIV risk, and sexual behaviour of young Portuguese women
title_full_unstemmed Safe-sex knowledge, self-assessed HIV risk, and sexual behaviour of young Portuguese women
title_sort Safe-sex knowledge, self-assessed HIV risk, and sexual behaviour of young Portuguese women
author Costa, Eleonora C. V.
author_facet Costa, Eleonora C. V.
McIntyre, Teresa
Ferreira, Domingos
author_role author
author2 McIntyre, Teresa
Ferreira, Domingos
author2_role author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Veritati - Repositório Institucional da Universidade Católica Portuguesa
dc.contributor.author.fl_str_mv Costa, Eleonora C. V.
McIntyre, Teresa
Ferreira, Domingos
dc.subject.por.fl_str_mv HIV
Portuguese women
Risk perception
Safe-sex knowledge
Sexual behaviour
topic HIV
Portuguese women
Risk perception
Safe-sex knowledge
Sexual behaviour
description Background: Young women make up most cases of HIV infection in Portugal (e.g., 26% in 2012), but their sexual behaviour, ability to recognize sexually transmitted disease (STD) risk in partners, and knowledge and practice of safe sex are underresearched. Methods: We studied these issues in a group of 177 women from Northern Portugal, together with their social, educational, and religious background. The women filled out several self-report questionnaires developed in the USA that have been adapted and validated for use in Portugal. They assess HIV knowledge, risk perception, and sexual risk behaviour. Results: We documented good knowledge about HIV transmission and prevention, although there are still some myths; 79.9% of the women knew that condoms prevent HIV transmission, but only 46% of them declared to use them regularly. Thus, knowledge does not imply adequate preventive behaviour. Women lacking higher education had poorer knowledge of HIV biology and of partner HIV risk. Despite being aware of HIV cases in their communities, most women deemed themselves at little risk, especially those lacking higher education, with many arguing that monogamy protects them, and, importantly, many preferring to ignore their partners' current and past behaviour when assessing their exposure. Conclusion: These results point to important intervention targets for campaigns to curb STD infections among young women.
publishDate 2018
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2018
2018-01-01T00:00:00Z
2021-05-14T14:42:10Z
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dc.language.iso.fl_str_mv eng
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dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv 0870-9025
10.1159/000486466
85070230767
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