Kolahi Ali-Asghar, Rastegarpour Ali, Abadi Ali-Reza, Nabavi Mahmood, Sayyarifard Azadeh, Sohrabi Mohammad-Reza
Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
J Res Med Sci. 2011 Nov;16(11):1452-8.
The female at-risk population represents a subgroup that is both a crucial determining factor in acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) transmission and a gap in the existing literature in Iran. The objective of this study was to evaluate the level of sex workers' knowledge towards to safe procedures of sexually transmitted infection and AIDS prevention as well as attitudes towards AIDS.
A sample of 256 female sex workers working in Tehran was obtained by a variety of methods. Appropriate questions for the assessment of knowledge and attitude were developed based on previous studies.
The mean age of the subjects was 26.8 ± 6.1 years (ranging from 16 to 45). Methods of transmission were widely recognized, despite the exception that few realized oral (23.4%) and anal (44.9%) intercourse as methods of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission. Most subjects knew that AIDS currently has no cure (81.2%) and no vaccine (73.4%). Most also acknowledged that HIV is transmissible from people who do not know they are HIV positive (59.4%), proper condom use can reduce the possibility of infection (78.1%), and so can having a single sexual partner (68.8%). Of the participants, 43.4% knew that an HIV-positive person can seem perfectly healthy.
Knowledge towards sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and condom use is still inadequate, especially regarding risky behaviors such as anal sex, and attitudes are mainly negative. Identifying at-risk populations, HIV-positive sex workers, education and campaigns to change the attitudes towards AIDS should be regarded a high priority in Iran.
女性高危人群是一个亚群体，既是获得性免疫缺陷综合征（艾滋病）传播的关键决定因素，也是伊朗现有文献中的一个空白。本研究的目的是评估性工作者对性传播感染和艾滋病预防安全程序的了解程度以及对艾滋病的态度。
通过多种方法选取了256名在德黑兰工作的女性性工作者作为样本。根据以往研究制定了评估知识和态度的适当问题。
受试者的平均年龄为26.8±6.1岁（范围为16至45岁）。传播途径得到了广泛认可，尽管少数人未意识到口交（23.4%）和肛交（44.9%）是人类免疫缺陷病毒（HIV）的传播途径。大多数受试者知道目前艾滋病无法治愈（81.2%）且没有疫苗（73.4%）。大多数人还承认，HIV可从不知道自己呈阳性的人传播（59.4%），正确使用避孕套可降低感染可能性（78.1%），拥有单一性伴侣也可降低感染可能性（68.8%）。在参与者中，43.4%的人知道HIV阳性者可能看起来完全健康。
对性传播感染（STIs）和避孕套使用方面的知识仍然不足，尤其是在肛交等危险行为方面，而且态度主要是否定的。在伊朗，识别高危人群、HIV阳性性工作者、开展教育和宣传活动以改变对艾滋病的态度应被视为高度优先事项。
