Community Health Sciences Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Research Department of Primary Care and Population Health, Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
PLoS One. 2023 Jun 23;18(6):e0286822. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286822. eCollection 2023.
The cultural sensitivity surrounding sexuality in Islamic communities has an impact on awareness and prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This study explores Muslim women's knowledge, views, and attitudes towards STIs and people living with HIV/AIDs in Saudi Arabia.
We conducted qualitative semi-structured interviews with Muslim women from Saudi Arabia. Interviews took place in a public hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 2019. Data were transcribed, coded, and analysed using a reflexive thematic analysis.
Twenty-eight women were interviewed, the majority were college educated and employed. Participants lacked knowledge about STIs, and there were significant misconceptions. The majority of women expressed extremely negative attitudes towards STIs, particularly towards people living with HIV/AIDS. Participants believed that judgemental attitudes and stigmatisation of people with HIV/AIDS were justified if an infection was transmitted through extramarital sex. Men were believed to be the source of STIs, and STIs were viewed as punishment from God for extramarital sexual relations that are forbidden in Islam. Protection against STIs was believed to be achieved by strengthening religious beliefs.
Attitudes towards people with STIs, HIV/AIDS in particular, were highly influenced by religious views towards extramarital sex, as well as lack of knowledge and misconceptions. There is an urgent need for accurate information and improved awareness of sexual health including STIs among Muslims in Saudi Arabia. Public health efforts should be directed towards reducing stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS in Saudi Arabia and other Islamic communities.
伊斯兰教社区中对性的文化敏感性会影响人们对性传播感染（STIs）的认识和预防。本研究探讨了沙特阿拉伯穆斯林女性对 STIs 和艾滋病毒/艾滋病患者的知识、看法和态度。
我们对来自沙特阿拉伯的穆斯林女性进行了定性半结构化访谈。访谈于 2019 年在沙特阿拉伯利雅得的一家公立医院进行。对数据进行转录、编码和分析，采用反思性主题分析。
共访谈了 28 名女性，她们大多数受过大学教育并受雇。参与者对 STIs 缺乏了解，存在严重的误解。大多数女性对 STIs 持极其消极的态度，尤其是对艾滋病毒/艾滋病患者。参与者认为，如果感染是通过婚外性行为传播的，对艾滋病毒/艾滋病患者的评判性态度和污名化是合理的。人们认为，婚外性行为是被伊斯兰教禁止的，因此感染 STIs 是上帝的惩罚。通过加强宗教信仰来预防 STIs。
对 STIs 患者，特别是艾滋病毒/艾滋病患者的态度受到对婚外性行为的宗教观点以及缺乏知识和误解的极大影响。沙特阿拉伯的穆斯林迫切需要获得有关性健康（包括 STIs）的准确信息和提高认识。公共卫生工作应致力于减少沙特阿拉伯和其他伊斯兰社区中对艾滋病毒/艾滋病患者的污名化和歧视。
