Mulheres e HIV/AIDS [manuscrito]: análise de comportamento preventivo à luz do modelo de crenças em saúde

Abstract

The present study had a quantitative approach and its objective was to analyse, in the light of the Health Belief Model, how the beliefs of HIV - infected and non - infected women are expressed in relation to their susceptibility to HIV; to the seriousness of the changes that happened or would happen in their lives in case of being infected; and to benefits perceived by them in adopting preventive behaviour. The study was oriented by the Health Belief Model proposed by Rosenstock, 1966. It was interviewed 140 women, 70 from the HIV - infected group, and 70 from the non - infected group. The research was accomplished in the ambulatory service of the Complex of Contagious Infectious Disease Clementina Fraga in the ambulatory service of the University Hospital Lauro Wanderley, in Paraíba State. The data were quantatively analysed. The results indicated that in the infected group, the perception of the risk to catch HIV is absent, the opposite was verified in the non - infected group, and so there were significative differences between the two studied groups corceming the perception of exposure to HIV in sexual intercourse. For the two women groups there were no significative differences related to the perception of consequences and seriousness of AIDS, and to the benefits of adopting preventive behaviour. The fact of tmsting the sexual partner of having a steady partner emerged as outstanding elements for contamination in the infected group and for vulnerability to HIV contagion in the non-infected group. The identified berriers demonstrate to be responsible for the HIV contamination. The non-infected women are living the risks of catching HIV. The incentives for taking preventive actions were not present in the women's life of both groups. It is considered to be necessary to reevaluate and remake strategies and preventive actions, involving besides the institutions, the women themselves as the subject of the decinding process on preventive means.