[Sexual knowledge, attitudes, and behavior in HIV-seropositive individuals at the AIDS referral center Latina]

The objective of the study was to investigate the knowledge, attitudes and sexual behaviours of HIV positive users of the AIDS Centre of Latina, with the scope of enabling one to program effective interventions on the theme of sex education.

An anonymous self-administered questionnaire containing questions about the socio-demographic characteristics of the subject, about the transmission of HIV, about sexual behaviours and about the relationship between sexual habit and being HIV positive, was compiled in the period between 1st October 2000 and 3rd January 2001. In all, 259 subjects (92.84% of eligible subjects), of which 166 males and 93 females aged between 20 and 62 years (mean = 38.51), participated in the study.

Regarding the knowledge about HIV/AIDS, 63.7% believed that a vaccine against AIDS is currently unavailable. Nearly all responders thought that the HIV virus can be transmitted through the shared use of infected syringes among drug addicts, through homosexual and heterosexual intercourse and through blood transfusions with infected blood. Vertical transmission, during pregnancy, is considered possible by 78.6% of respondents. Regarding the sexual behaviours of participants, 81.9% reported to have full intercourse, of which 78% declared to use condoms during sexual intercourse. As regards the attitudes about sexuality and HIV, 83.7% reported that education is a fundamental factor in the reduction of risk behaviours, though 32.9% considered it embarrassing to ask their partner to use condoms and, surprisingly, 22.3% would consent to unprotected sex even if their partner wasn't wearing a condom.

In the area of STDs, among which HIV and AIDS, it is worrying that many people overlook the most elementary forms of prevention. This study confirms the necessity for an adequate form of informative counselling for those who are HIV positive.