Knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes of older women in HIV/AIDS prevention.

Milena Silva Costa,Eliane De Sousa Leite,Maria Adelaide Silva Paredes Moreira,Antonia Oliveira Silva,Luipa Michele Silva,Jéssica Barbosa Sampaio

doi:10.1590/0034-7167-2016-0521

Abstract

To analyze the knowledge, religious beliefs and the adoption of preventive measures against HIV/AIDS of non-Catholic elderly women. A qualitative study, carried out in religious institutions of a municipality in the state of Ceará, Northeast Brazil, with 78 elderly women. Of these, 64 were evangelicals, seven spiritualists and seven Jehovah's Witnesses. A semi-structured interview script was used followed by thematic content analysis of participants' responses. After analyzing the empirical data, three categories were elaborated: the first presented the knowledge they had about AIDS; the second, highlighted the beliefs attributed to people with HIV/AIDS; and the third, presented the preventive measures to HIV/AIDS adopted by them. There were participants with knowledge gaps and failure to use preventive measures against HIV/AIDS. They suggested that religious institutions can be venues for lectures on HIV/AIDS prevention.

Highlights

The diverse concepts and opinions on AIDS were built throughout the history of the epidemic, and with disagreements, as some people believed the disease was restricted to homosexuals, drug users and sex workers
Most of the elderly women who participated in the study had low levels of schooling and knowledge gaps on the subject of HIV/AIDS, but some were able to cite the definition of the disease and describe the forms of transmission
The definition as expressed by them was in accordance with what the Brazilian Ministry of Health says about AIDS, i.e. it considered to be a disease that causes severe dysfunction of the immune system of the individual infected by the HIV virus, which is transmitted through direct contact and/or exchange of blood and/or body fluids from an infected person to an uninfected person, unprotected sexual intercourse, intentional sharing of needles or occupational accidents, contaminated blood transfusion and vertical transmission[10]

Summary

Introduction

The diverse concepts and opinions on AIDS were built throughout the history of the epidemic, and with disagreements, as some people believed the disease was restricted to homosexuals, drug users and sex workers. The reasons underlying the rise of HIV/AIDS cases in the elderly are: the fact that they are not considered as a potential risk group for acquisition of the virus; empirical knowledge on the subject; the resistance to condom use; and the advent of sexually stimulating drugs. These motives confirm failures in preventive campaigns directed at the elderly, which renders them less informed and aware of how to protect themselves[1]

Methods

Results

Conclusion