Tameru Berhanu, Gerbi Gemechu, Nganwa David, Bogale Asseged, Robnett Vinaida, Habtemariam Tsegye
Professor and Director, Tuskegee University, Center for Computational Epidemiology, Bioinformatics and Risk Analysis, 107-Williams-Bowie Hall, College of Vet Med, Nursing and Allied Health (CVMNAH), Tuskegee, AL 36832, USA.
Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, USA.
J AIDS Clin Res. 2012 Sep 1;3(7):1-7. doi: 10.4172/2155-6113.S7-002.
The relationship between knowledge about HIV/AIDS and its associated risky behaviors is complex and has not been sufficiently explored. It is especially important to look at some of the aspects of this relationship among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in order to develop effective intervention strategies to reduce HIV/AIDS risky behaviors. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between knowledge about HIV/AIDS and its risky behaviors among PLWHA.
Risk taking behavior among the participants was measured as the number of all risky behaviors before and after the knowledge of their HIV/AIDS positive status. Knowledge was measured by the extent to which participants answered the HIV/AIDS related questions. The relationships between the identified HIV/AIDS risky behaviors and the knowledge among PLWHA were analyzed using Structural Equation Modelling.
341 questionnaires were administered and 326 (96%) were completed and returned from PLWHA clients of HIV/AIDS outreach facility in Alabama. Analysis revealed that, knowledge of HIV/AIDS, and knowledge of a properly used condom in preventing the infection through sexual activity were positively related with knowledge of where to get tested for HIV/AIDS. Using drugs before sex was significantly related with having sex with prostitutes (total effects' standardized regression coefficient (TESRC)=0.29, p<0.001). Sharing the same syringe or needle with another person or other people to inject oneself was strongly related with number of sexual partners within one year (TESRC=0.25, p<0.001), and sex with injecting drug users (TESRC=0.45, p<0.001).
A deeper understanding of HIV/AIDS and some of its transmission pathways appears to be very effective in practicing the taking of preventive measures such as using condoms or getting tested for HIV. Increasing access to HIV/AIDS education could therefore be very useful in providing further gains in HIV/AIDS awareness among PLWHA.
关于艾滋病毒/艾滋病的知识与其相关危险行为之间的关系复杂，尚未得到充分探究。尤其重要的是审视艾滋病毒/艾滋病感染者（PLWHA）之间这种关系的某些方面，以便制定有效的干预策略来减少艾滋病毒/艾滋病危险行为。本研究的目的是调查艾滋病毒/艾滋病感染者中关于艾滋病毒/艾滋病的知识与其危险行为之间的关联。
参与者的冒险行为通过知晓其艾滋病毒/艾滋病阳性状态前后所有危险行为的数量来衡量。知识通过参与者回答艾滋病毒/艾滋病相关问题的程度来衡量。使用结构方程模型分析了已确定的艾滋病毒/艾滋病危险行为与艾滋病毒/艾滋病感染者知识之间的关系。
在阿拉巴马州的一个艾滋病毒/艾滋病外展机构，向341名客户发放了问卷，326份（96%）由艾滋病毒/艾滋病感染者填写并返回。分析显示，关于艾滋病毒/艾滋病的知识以及正确使用避孕套预防性传播感染的知识与知道在哪里进行艾滋病毒/艾滋病检测的知识呈正相关。性行为前吸毒与与妓女发生性行为显著相关（总效应标准化回归系数（TESRC）=0.29，p<0.001）。与他人共用注射器或针头进行自我注射与一年内的性伴侣数量密切相关（TESRC=0.25，p<0.001），以及与注射吸毒者发生性行为（TESRC=0.45，p<0.001）。
对艾滋病毒/艾滋病及其一些传播途径有更深入的了解似乎在采取预防措施（如使用避孕套或进行艾滋病毒检测）方面非常有效。因此，增加艾滋病毒/艾滋病教育的可及性对于提高艾滋病毒/艾滋病感染者对艾滋病毒/艾滋病的认识可能非常有用。
