European Journal of Medical Research - Deutsche AIDS ...

June 27, 2007 EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL RESEARCH
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year-olds) regarded AIDS as being one of the most dangerous
diseases. This figure declined steadily. In 2006 only 29% of
the general and 43% of the young population rated AIDS as
one of the most dangerous diseases. Since the mid 1990s between
70% and 80% of the general as well as the young population
is certain about the fatal course of AIDS. In 2006 6% of
young people were holding the view that AIDS could be
cured.
Experience with condom use among the German population
has spread substantially since the start of the AIDS education
campaign. In 1991 76% of the 16 to 65 year-olds and 67% of
the 16 to 20 year-olds had experience with condoms. This
proportion increased to 90% percent in the general and to
76% in the young population in 2006.
A substantial increase in condom possession can be determined.
In 1991, 32% of the general and 37% of the young
population said they had condoms at home or with them. In
2006 46% of the general population and 68% of the younger
people had condoms available.
AIDS is considered to be far less of a threat than in the past
decade. Nevertheless, the majority of the German population
still views HIV/AIDS as a fatal disease. Preventive health
care aims at achieving and maintaining a high level of public
knowledge about HIV/AIDS. Promoting safer sex constantly
has lead to increased experience with and availability of condoms
especially in young people.
A.35 (Poster)
Knowledge, attitudes and behaviour with regards
to HIV and STIs among young adults in Germany,
Poland Austria, Slovak Republic, Italy and
Slovenia – a BORDERNET cross border survey
Sokolowski S. 1 , Steffan E. 1 , Arsova Netzelmann T. 1
1 SPI Forschung gGmbH, Berlin, Germany
Objectives: Young people’s risk exposure to HIV/AIDS and
STI is confirmed not only by recent data on new HIV infections,
but also by a variety of socio-demographic, cultural and
psychosocial factors related to the age of experimentation and
unsettled search of (sexual) identity. Carried out in the frame
of the EC-funded Project BORDERNET, the survey aims to
identify sexual risk indicators related to knowledge, attitudes,
sexual practices and cross-border mobility of European young
adults from 6 EU member states.
Methods: A KAB survey comprising additional items on
cross border mobility conducted through a self-administration
questionnaire. Based on preliminary defined selection criteria
of risky youth venues, 1085 young adults aged 18 to 25 years
were recruited in border regions of Austria, Germany, Italy,
Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.
Results: Young adults exhibit in general high basic knowledge
of HIV/STIs. At the same time various uncertainties exist
related to widespread myths of infection and protection,
which influence respondents from the new EU member states
stronger. About a quarter (26%) of the young adults (with a
considerable share of Germans among them) does not have information
about the availability of anonymous and free-ofcharge
HIV counselling and testing offers. This may impact
negatively their help-seeking behaviour. Gender and crosscountry
comparisons show that the young women and the respondents
from old EU member states (especially the Austrians
and the Germans) tend more to single-partner relationships
as a risk management strategy and state to chose more
often the “no condom, no sex” self-protective behaviour.
Young men, as well as respondents from Mediterranean countries
(Italy, Slovenia) predominate among those with multiple
sexual partners, and partly with condom-unfriendly attitudes.
Nevertheless, men in general report more often condom use
than women and rely more on their assertiveness skills at the
condom negotiation.
Conclusions: The identified narrow link between condom use
and prevention of unwanted pregnancy confirms unambiguously
the importance of integrative prevention approaches,
which embed the HIV/AIDS and STIs education into the
wider frame of the sexual and reproductive health of young
adults.
A.36 (Poster)
HIV prevention among MSM in the Ukraine
Traute A. 1
1 Connect plus, Berlin, Germany
An Ukrainian-German working group conducted a study
among HIV-positive and HIV-negative MSM (men who have
sex with men) per in-depth interviews and questionnaires between
August and November 2006. The aim was to obtain information
about prevention deficits and ways to HIV prevention
among MSM in the Ukraine - a work that has long been
neglected and only recently is conducted with the aid of international
donors. 16 in-depth interviews about all aspects of
sexual experience and sexual behaviour, safer sex and the perceived
attitude of Ukrainian society and MSM communities
were conducted. Parallel, 200 MSM were interviewed per paper
and pencil questionnaire about the same aspects. During
the recruiting phase, stress was laid on the goal to recruit
MSM from various social sub-groups (MSM identified as gay,
bisexual, hidden, with incarceration experience, sex workers).
The in-depth interviews were performed by trained peers of
the respective sub-group in order to allow access to that
scene. The project also served as capacity building measure
for the Ukrainian project partners.
One of the main results was that risky sexual behaviour
takes place, when sex partners feel being or are discriminated
by the society because of to their sexual preferences, or by the
MSM community due to their HIV-Status. In these cases, for
example no communication about safer sex and protection
steps takes place in sexual situations. Psychological factors of
risky behaviour are perceived chronic stress (tension), perceived
discrepancies between own knowledge, own beliefs
and principles and performed behaviour. The group of nottested
MSM can be silhouetted against tested MSM with regard
to anonymity of sexual contacts and lacking protective
behaviour. Knowledge deficits seem to play no role in risky
behaviour. In general, initiation of sex contacts via internet
has become widespread. Prevention measures should first of
all be implemented on accordant websites.
The study was supported by UNAIDS (No. IR.UKR.USC.
226.UA.04.G (999.51)) by funds from the German Federal Ministry
of Health, and was scientifically supervised by a member of Public
Healt Group at Centre for Social Studies (Wissenschaftszentrum)
Berlin.