Social representations of HIV/AIDS by older people and the interface with prevention

To apprehend the social representations elaborated by older people about HIV/AIDS and to understand how they relate to the prevention of HIV infection.

Descriptive and qualitative research based on the Theory of Social Representations with 42 older people assisted at primary care. Data were produced through in-depth interviews with a semi-structured instrument, processed in the IRaMuTeQ software, and analyzed by means of the descending hierarchical classification.

Five classes emerged: "HIV/AIDS: a problem of young people"; "Quality of life improvement for people living with HIV/AIDS"; "Vulnerability to HIV/AIDS among heterosexual women in a stable union"; "HIV/AIDS Information Network: process of creation and transformation of social representations" and "Prevention versus stigma".

The social representations that older people have about HIV/AIDS influence the adoption of preventive measures negatively because stigma is present and HIV/AIDS is attributed to young men, and to men who have sex with other men.