Perceptions about HIV/AIDS and health inequalities among psychiatric patients in Brazil

Abstract

Objectives: To describe perceptions about concept and modes of HIV/Aids transmission among psychiatric patients and to assess whether these perceptions differed according to sociodemographic characteristics and psychiatric conditions. We also investigated whether these characteristics were associated with the completely ignorance about the concept and the modes of transmission of HIV/Aids. Methods: Cross-sectional national multicenter study among 2,475 patients selected from 26 Brazilian mental health centers (11 hospitals, 15 outpatient). The perceptions emerged from the following open ended questions: What is Aids for you?; and, How do you think Aids is transmitted?. The textual material was analyzed using content analysis methods. Results were stratified according to sociodemographic variables and psychiatric conditions and analyzed using the chisquared test. Participants who did not know how to answer any of these questions were compared to the others by logistic regression. Results: Overall, perceptions were of disease, transmissible (through blood and sexual contact), incurable and were permeated by negative aspects as threat, suffering and death. These perceptions showed significant differences according to sociodemographic characteristics and psychiatric conditions. 18.6% did not know how to answer the concept or mode of transmission of HIV/Aids and these were more likely to be older (40+ years old), to have less than 8 years of education, no individual income and be on treatment in psychiatric hospitals. Conclusion: The results reinforce the need for macro-level social policy to reduce inequalities and to implement HIV prevention policies targeted at psychiatric patients in Brazil.