[Changes in knowledge, attitudes, and habits of the general population with regard to HIV infection]

Knowledge of the social changes related to HIV infection can be helpful in the attempts to design more effecting preventive strategies for this disease. The aim of this study was assess the progress that has occurred in the knowledge, attitudes and habits of the general population in relation to HIV infection between 1997 and 2005.

With this objective, a multidisciplinary team designed a questionnaire survey containing 64 items, which was validated through a pilot study performed with 100 subjects. The target population included all residents of the city of Zamora aged 18 to 70 years old. The population was stratified by district (five), sex, and age (younger or older than 40 years old) into 20 groups. The sample size was calculated and a randomly selected list of participants was obtained for each group. The questionnaire was filled out at the homes of the selected population with the help of trained personal in 1997, and was repeated in 2005. Results from the two time points were compared.

In 2005, a larger number of people were interested in gaining more information about the disease and showed concern about the risk of infection. However, there were no significant changes in the related knowledge or habits, and frequent errors persisted regarding prevention of sexual transmission. Nonetheless, the attitude toward infected patients had improved.

Over the 8 years of the study, knowledge about HIV infection has not changed, and errors regarding sexual prevention remain, although there is a more positive attitude toward patients with this disease. Modifying this deficit in the understanding of HIV may contribute to preventing this disease.