Sexual patterns of behaviour and the HIV/AIDS infection in Portugal
Sexual patterns of behaviour and the HIV/AIDS infection in Portugal
Portugal is one of the EU countries with the most worrying situation concerning the HIV/AIDS infection. Not only numbers of people infected are high but also, as distinct from most other European countries, those numbers do not show signs of stabilization. In spite of many prevention campaigns, the infection continues to spread. Existing information about sexual patterns of behaviour associated with given of HIV transmission is scarce and did not contribute to explain the reasons accounting for the expansion of the infection in Portuguese society. Are Portuguese patterns of sexual behaviour too careless? And if so, why? Or is it just a matter of time for younger generations to adopt protected sex practices? This project intends to provide information to deal with that kind of issues. At the same time, it will obtain indicators needed for the implementation by the Portuguese authorities of the «Declaration of Intentions» (?) establishing that all countries must have a system of monitoring and control of the HIV/AIDS epidemics.
The project is mainly based on survey data. The questionnaire has 4 parts:
1) A general characterization of Portuguese «sexual culture», including several dimensions: (a) Diversity of practices; frequency, and number and sex of partners; (b) representations and attitudes towards several domains of sexuality (fidelity, love feelings, homosexuality, pre-marital sex, adolescents, etc.); (c) social networks and sexual norms; (d) sexual self-identity.
2) Relationship between sexuality and personal feelings of welfare, ie: subjective perceptions of sexual life and activity, including sexual and reproductive health as well as contraception and sexual satisfaction; this part deals also with: sexual problems and dysfunctions, abortion and STDs.
3) Impact of the HIV/AIDS on sexual patterns of behaviour associated with the transmission of the infection. We will cover protected sex, in particular the use of condom but also attitudes of prevention in general. This includes an evaluation of the respondents' knowledge about the infection, tests, and representations about the use of condom as well as responsiveness to campaigns.
4) A socio-demographic module.
The project has no a priori hypotheses. Our objective is to identify the main patterns of sexual behaviour of the population and the groups more prone to risk behaviour associated with HIV transmission. Data analysis will allow for the formulation and exploration of hypotheses relating social-demographic features with sexual patterns as well as risk behaviour. In order to provide indicators for the monitoring of the HIV/AIDS epidemics, the project will also explore the motives accounting for the comparatively high prevalence of the infection in Portugal, pointing towards new targets for campaigns as well as new preventive strategies regarding the fight against the infection.
Portugal is one of the EU countries with the most worrying situation concerning the HIV/AIDS infection. Not only numbers of people infected are high but also, as distinct from most other European countries, those numbers do not show signs of stabilization. In spite of many prevention campaigns, the infection continues to spread. Existing information about sexual patterns of behaviour associated with given of HIV transmission is scarce and did not contribute to explain the reasons accounting for the expansion of the infection in Portuguese society. Are Portuguese patterns of sexual behaviour too careless? And if so, why? Or is it just a matter of time for younger generations to adopt protected sex practices? This project intends to provide information to deal with that kind of issues. At the same time, it will obtain indicators needed for the implementation by the Portuguese authorities of the «Declaration of Intentions» (?) establishing that all countries must have a system of monitoring and control of the HIV/AIDS epidemics.
The project is mainly based on survey data. The questionnaire has 4 parts:
1) A general characterization of Portuguese «sexual culture», including several dimensions: (a) Diversity of practices; frequency, and number and sex of partners; (b) representations and attitudes towards several domains of sexuality (fidelity, love feelings, homosexuality, pre-marital sex, adolescents, etc.); (c) social networks and sexual norms; (d) sexual self-identity.
2) Relationship between sexuality and personal feelings of welfare, ie: subjective perceptions of sexual life and activity, including sexual and reproductive health as well as contraception and sexual satisfaction; this part deals also with: sexual problems and dysfunctions, abortion and STDs.
3) Impact of the HIV/AIDS on sexual patterns of behaviour associated with the transmission of the infection. We will cover protected sex, in particular the use of condom but also attitudes of prevention in general. This includes an evaluation of the respondents' knowledge about the infection, tests, and representations about the use of condom as well as responsiveness to campaigns.
4) A socio-demographic module.
The project has no a priori hypotheses. Our objective is to identify the main patterns of sexual behaviour of the population and the groups more prone to risk behaviour associated with HIV transmission. Data analysis will allow for the formulation and exploration of hypotheses relating social-demographic features with sexual patterns as well as risk behaviour. In order to provide indicators for the monitoring of the HIV/AIDS epidemics, the project will also explore the motives accounting for the comparatively high prevalence of the infection in Portugal, pointing towards new targets for campaigns as well as new preventive strategies regarding the fight against the infection.
