Evaluating the needs of AIDS prevention in high-prevalent areas of HIV infection in Henan province, China

摘要

Objective: To investigate the knowledge, attitude, behavior, and needs related to AIDS prevention and condom use in order to provide scientific basis for integrating AIDS prevention into regular family planning services (FPS).Method: From October to November 2003, we adopted the method of descriptive epidemiological study. We investigated 800 women in two townships (Wulong and Huangpu) by using cluster sampling.Results: All 800 respondents, 48. 8% of them knew that China was in a phase of rapid increase of AIDS epidemic, 62. 6% could correctly describe "three ways of AIDS transmission:sexual, blood and vertical (mother to infant)", 55.9 % believed that HIV could not definitely infect them, more than 50% thought that oral contraceptive pill could protect them from HIV infection; 41.5% did not know how to use condom correctly, 13.6% misconceived that condom could cause male sexual dysfunction, 14.9% considered that one condom could be used many times (repeated use),10.0% of the couples had ever used condom before, 3. 13% of the couples used condoms consistently and correctly. Among the women with a history of selling blood,63.9% of them sold blood more than two times, and only 2 women had ever taken HIV test.93.6% of all respondents were willing to participate in free counseling of HIV infection. 65.3 %appreciated the counseling offered by family planning service (FPS) providers. 59. 1% considered that FPS center would be the best place to provide HIV counseling in county. 94.3% were willing to participate in a free HIV testing. 52.0% considered that it would be more appropriate for FPS center to conduct the first screening HIV testing. 77. 6% hoped to know about the correct method of using condom and 46.5 % hoped to master relevant skills of condom use through participating in workshop. 87.6 % hoped to take part in health education activities related to AIDS prevention. 51.1% considered that FPS providers would be the best candidates to carry out the health education of AIDS prevention.Conclusion: Even in the high-prevalent areas of AIDS epidemic, women's perception on the situation of AIDS epidemic in China is not appropriate. Women know little about the three ways of AIDS transmission. They were lacking the awareness related to risk of infecting HIV. They did not know which contraceptive method could protect themselves from HIV infection. They also had misunderstanding and misconception regarding the condom use. Such factors mentioned above resulted in a low rate of condom use and an extremely low rate of consistent use of condom.The voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) was not sufficiently adopted in the high-risk population. The needs of AIDS prevention were great and unmet in the high HIV prevalent areas. People urgently hope that FPS network could play an important role in AIDS prevention.