Prevention of transmission of HIV in discordant couples: awareness, risk perception, behaviour

Abstract

The fundamental hypothesis of this research was the assumption that there was no direct correlation between formal awareness of the methods of prevention of HIV transmission in discordant couples and real practice of preventive behavior.

The aim - to evaluate the knowledge about HIV prevention methods, preventive behavior patterns that include self-assessment of the HIV infection risk in discordant couples.

Material and methods. 77 respondents admitted to the Specialized Scientific Research Department of AIDS Epidemiology and Prevention of the Central Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology in 2019-2020 participated in the semi-structured interview. 46 HIV-infected individuals who had a regular HIV-negative sexual partner were included in group 1. In this group respondents' average age was 37.95 years (min - 25 years; max - 60 years). 31 respondents were men [including 4 men (or 12.90%) who had sexual relationships with men] and 15 respondents were women.31 HIV-negative individuals who had a regular HIV-infected sexual partner were included in group 2. In this group the average respondents' age was 37.32 years (min - 25 years; max - 54 years). 12 respondents were men [including 2 men (16.67%) who had sexual relationships with men] and 19 respondents were women.

The evaluation was performed using open marker-questions, e.g. "What methods of HIV prevention do you know?", "Which HIV prevention methods do you use?". The results were evaluated using the technique of content analysis.

Results. The number of content units marking low-risk behavior was firmly lower in compare with the similar rate of HIV prevention awareness (р<0.05). The awareness of the HIV transmission modes and of low-risk behavior were not implemented with the expected effectiveness. 15.21% of respondents in group 1 and 12.90% of respondents in group 2 mentioned were not using any HIV prevention methods.

Conclusions. The findings show no direct correlation between the awareness and formal knowledge implementation into behavior patterns intended to prevent HIV transmission. This requires more detailed and risks-focused consulting on HIV prevention in discordant couples.

Keywords:HIV infection, pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV, discordant couples

Funding. The study had no sponsor support.

Conflict of interests. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Contribution. Concept and design of the study - Belyaeva V.V., Efremova O.S.; collection and processing of material -Belyaeva V.V., Kozyrina N.V., Kuimova U.A., Goliusova M.D., Efremova O.S.; text writing - Belyaeva V.V.; editing - Kozyrina N.V., Kuimova U.A.

For citation: Belyaeva V.V., Kozyrina N.V., Kuimova U.A., Goliusova M.D., Efremova O.S. Prevention of transmission of HIV in discordant couples: awareness, risk perception, behaviour. Infektsionnye bolezni: novosti, mneniya, obuchenie [Infectious Diseases: News, Opinions, Training]. 2021; 10 (1): 46-51. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33029/2305-3496-2021-10-1-46-51 (in Russian)

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CHIEF EDITOR
Aleksandr V. Gorelov
Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, MD, Head of Infection Diseases and Epidemiology Department of the Scientific and Educational Institute of Clinical Medicine named after N.A. Semashko ofRussian University of Medicine, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Professor of the Department of Childhood Diseases, Clinical Institute of Children's Health named after N.F. Filatov, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Deputy Director for Research, Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, Rospotrebnadzor (Moscow, Russian Federation)

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