HIV/AIDS risk perception, attitudes and sexual behaviour in Portugal.
One thousand individuals in the age group 18-69 were selected for a multistage nationwide random sample. Of the interviewees 68.3% were of the opinion that the risk of AIDS, in Portugal, is considerably high and 37.1% stated that they had feared being infected by the HIV; 28.0% established a connection between being afraid and the fact that AIDS is a serious/incurable disease; 31.5% believed that there are risks inherent to the health services; only 7.8% expressed fear of AIDS because of an infected partner. Only 42.6% regarded extra-marital sexual relations as either partially or totally acceptable. Sexual relations between youths were seen as totally acceptable by 11.9% and partially acceptable by 51.1%. Homosexual relations between men were seen as either totally or partially acceptable by 38%. Of the interviewees, 7.8% thought that recent treatments can definitely cure AIDS and 6.5% believed that with recent treatments HIV transmission would no longer be possible.
Amaro
Fausto
F
Higher Institute of Social and Political Sciences, Technical University of Lisbon and Bom Sucesso Foundation, Lisbon, Portugal. famaro@iscsp.utl.pt
Frazão
Carla
C
Pereira
Maria Elizabete
ME
da Cunha Teles
Louise
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D011174:Portugal; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior