Mark Drew Crosland Guimarães1, Laio Magno2,3, Maria das Graças Braga Ceccato1, Raquel Regina de Freitas Magalhães Gomes4, Andrea Fachel Leal5, Daniela Riva Knauth6, Maria Amélia de Sousa Mascena Veras7, Inês Dourado3, Ana Maria de Brito8, Carl Kendall9,10, Ligia Regina Franco Sansigolo Kerr10. 1. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais - Belo Horizonte (MG), Brazil. 2. Department of Life Sciences, Universidade do Estado da Bahia - Salvador (BA), Brazil. 3. Institute of Collective Health, Universidade Federal da Bahia - Salvador (BA), Brazil. 4. Municipal Department of Health of Belo Horizonte - Belo Horizonte (MG), Brazil. 5. Department of Sociology, Institute of Philosophy and Humanities. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - Porto Alegre (RS), Brazil. 6. Department of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - Rio Grande (RS), Brazil. 7. School of Medical Sciences of Santa Casa de São Paulo - São Paulo (SP), Brazil. 8. Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - Recife (PE), Brazil. 9. Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine - New Orleans (LA), United States of America. 10. Department of Community Health, Federal University of Ceará - Fortaleza (CE), Brazil.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: High level of HIV/AIDS knowledge is required for an effective adoption of preventive strategies. OBJECTIVE: To assess HIV/AIDS knowledge among men who have sex with men (MSM) in 12 Brazilian cities. METHODS: Respondent-Driven Sampling method was used for recruitment. HIV/AIDS knowledge was assessed by Item Response Theory. Difficulty and discrimination parameters were estimated, and the knowledge score was categorized in three levels: high, medium, and low. Logistic regression was used for analysis. RESULTS: Among 4,176 MSM, the proportion of high level of knowledge was 23.7%. The following variables were positively associated with high knowledge (p < 0.05): age 25+ years old, 12+ years of schooling, white skin color, having health insurance, having suffered discrimination due to sexual orientation, having had a syphilis test, and having received educational material in the previous 12 months. Exchanging sex for money was negatively associated. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of only 23.7% of high HIV/AIDS knowledge was low. We should note that the only potential source of knowledge acquisition associated with high level of knowledge was receiving educational materials. Our study indicates the need for expansion of public prevention policies focused on MSM and with more effective communication strategies, including the development of knowledge that involves motivation and abilities for a safer behavior.
INTRODUCTION: High level of HIV/AIDS knowledge is required for an effective adoption of preventive strategies. OBJECTIVE: To assess HIV/AIDS knowledge among men who have sex with men (MSM) in 12 Brazilian cities. METHODS: Respondent-Driven Sampling method was used for recruitment. HIV/AIDS knowledge was assessed by Item Response Theory. Difficulty and discrimination parameters were estimated, and the knowledge score was categorized in three levels: high, medium, and low. Logistic regression was used for analysis. RESULTS: Among 4,176 MSM, the proportion of high level of knowledge was 23.7%. The following variables were positively associated with high knowledge (p < 0.05): age 25+ years old, 12+ years of schooling, white skin color, having health insurance, having suffered discrimination due to sexual orientation, having had a syphilis test, and having received educational material in the previous 12 months. Exchanging sex for money was negatively associated. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of only 23.7% of high HIV/AIDS knowledge was low. We should note that the only potential source of knowledge acquisition associated with high level of knowledge was receiving educational materials. Our study indicates the need for expansion of public prevention policies focused on MSM and with more effective communication strategies, including the development of knowledge that involves motivation and abilities for a safer behavior.
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