Evaluation of sociopsychological factors of HIV vulnerability in youth of Russian South (according to the data of behavioral research)

Abstract

Aim. To evaluate the links between the individual gender ideology, sexual statements, relationship system characteristics and the vulnerability of heterosexual HIV infection.
 Materials and methods. Behavioral questioning, based on sampling of 239 students (mean age 20 years).
 Results. Among both young men and women, there was detected a correlation between loyalty to conservative gender ideology and justification of sexual abuse against women as well as characteristics of interpersonal relations, reducing motivation to use of condoms. Conservative gender ideology significantly raises vulnerability of young women against HIV-infection through their justification of sexual abuse and domination of men. Egalitarian gender ideology is essentially connected with the statements, aimed at less risky, as for HIV infection, sexual practice. Conservative gender ideology supports orientation of youth to behavioral models, elevating vulnerability against HIV infection in heterosexual contacts: refusal from use of condoms, resistance to recommendations for decrease of risk.
 Conclusions. Conservative gender ideology significantly increases vulnerability of young women against HIV infection through their justification of sexual abuse and domination of men. It is useful to include determination of a number of sociopsychological characteristics into the procedure of behavioral studies in the framework of epidemiological supervision of HIV infection, which can indirectly increase vulnerability of youth against HIV infection. There were offered content changes in programs, directed to decrease of risk among youth.