ARHIVELE OLTENIEI - Universitatea din Craiova

The “HIV/AIDS” Phenomenon level of knowledge perceptions and atitudes 247other associated risks, for example tobacco and alchool, and then towards illictdrugs and towards the problem of old age. Nothing suggested the appearance of”conquering the enemy” through fresh new medical successes by the new publicmedical systems being rigorously organized.The majority of the participants at the focus groups understood thedifference between HIV and AIDS, knew the usual way of transmission, and theyhave referred to the long period of incubation of the disease while putting the accenton the need to educate the population to avoid the contamination 13 and to “promote”tolerant behavior for the sero-positives; often they appreciated as insufficient theirknowldge, their possibilities of intervention and asked for professional instructionsfrom the responsible institutions on how to avoid the spreading 14 .About the methods of prevention, the accent during the discussions wasput mainly on abstinence until marriage, on the fidelity of the couple, and on theeducation of the children to respect certain norms of hygiene of life. Thecondom was reminded as a way to prevent getting sick while recognizing thechurch rejects its usage. As some participants at the focus groups havementioned, using such a way of protection is not safe and the trust which thecondom enjoys can only increase, in certain situations, the risk ofcontamination 15 .Also, there was the opinion that according to developed societies theaccent was put on the danger of transmiting the “HIV” virus, on educating youngpeople to protect themselves from sexual diseases which include “HIV”.Numerous programs were initiated and special efforts were made to block theplague, and even so, the fight seems helpless. As a result, it seems that thesituation won`t be solved like this. According to the point of view of a priest, onlyby perseverant promotion of moral behavior in society, and creating norms for asexual relationship based on the principles of the Orthodox church, which areabstinence until marrige and the fidelity of the couple will lead to avoiding sexualdiseases and protection from the “HIV” virus. The so-called individual freedom13“The immune deficiency syndrome is transmitted thru medical instruments byinjection, unprotected sexual intercourse, and thru saliva. HIV is the first stage of the AIDSdisease. The virus affects the immunity of the organism, leaving it with a weak defense for theother sicknesses. Because immunity decreases, one can die because of the flu. The period ofincubation of the sickness is from 4-5 months to 15 years. Certain treatments are used but it still isan incurable sickness. It is very important to know how to prevent the contamination, but in thecounty side only two boxes of expired condoms and brochures are brought. That is not education,but a way to encourage the disease.” (priest Constanta)14 “I have read in an article that we could be in a leading place for the increase ofHIV/AIDS and this should worry us. We should at least try to decrease the spreading and I thinkthat it is necessary for all institutions of the state to contribute to this thing so that at least thenumber of people suffering from HIV won`t increase.” (priest Bucharest)15 “For methods of prevention, we could count on abstinence until marriage and therelationship within the couple. We could also speak of the condom, which the church doesn’tagree, as well as the education of the child for better hygiene. Coming back to the condom, I thinkthat its use is not safe, inspite of all the advertisments; in addition, it`s dangerous because peopletrust it and act consequently.” (priest Dolj)