title: HIV/AIDS knowledge and health-related attitudes and behaviors among deaf and hearing adolescents in southern Brazil.
abstract: HIV/AIDS knowledge and health-related attitudes and behaviors among deaf and hearing adolescents in southern Brazil are described. Forty-two deaf students attending a special nonresidential public school for the deaf and 50 hearing students attending a regular public school, ages 15-21 years, answered a computer-assisted questionnaire. (There was simultaneous video translation of questions to Brazilian Sign Language.) A branched decision-tree structure was used to determine level of sexual experience and hearing status. Deaf participants scored lower on HIV/AIDS knowledge, demonstrating a need to improve school-based instruction and develop campaigns tailored to this group's requirements. Though the hearing students reported more sexual activity than the deaf students, no other significant differences were found in health-related attitudes and behaviors. Two findings of concern are the high rate of sexual abuse reported by deaf participants and the large number of deaf adolescents reporting having a friend with AIDS.
authors.affiliation: Universidade de Caxias do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cláudia Alquati
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Bisol
authors.forename: Tania Mara
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Sperb
authors.forename: Toye H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Brewer
authors.forename: Sérgio Kakuta
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shor-Posner
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D000293:Adolescent; D001938:Brazil; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003638:Deafness / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004519:Education, Special; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008282:Mainstreaming, Education; D008297:Male; D047568:Unsafe Sex; D055815:Young Adult