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HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) are of concern in Mayan districts of Guatemala in which labor migration is common. This study assessed whether the migration status of men is associated with reported STI symptoms among their female primary partners. In a multivariate analysis of survey data taken from a larger Mayan sexual health study, the odds of reporting STI symptoms were twofold higher among women who reported that their partner migrated (OR 2.08, 95 % CI, 1.16-3.71), compared to women whose partners did not. Women from the Mam and Kaqchikel ethnolinguistic groups reported higher rates of STI symptoms after adjustment for their partners' migration status.

Introduction/objective: Aids cases are steadily increasing among young people and there are few studies describing young male vulnerability to HIV. A study was carried out aiming at developing a STD/AIDS prevention program for junior professional soccer players., Methods: Study participants were twenty-five junior soccer players of a major league professional team of the city of Campinas, Brazil. There were 2 segments. In segment 1, participants were given a self-administered questionnaire covering sociodemographic data, sexual behavior, specific gender-related behaviors, condom use, HIV/AIDS knowledge and prevention, and sports associated exposure risk. In segment 2, 17 sessions of group dynamics were carried out. Many forms of expression (speech, writing, pictures, and videos) were encouraged to grasp participants' thoughts on STD/AIDS-related matters., Results: Participants showed good knowledge on HIV transmission but they were poorly informed on reproduction and STDs. Unwanted pregnancy is their main concern. As for condom use, 73% consistently used condoms with casual partners (73%), and only 27% consistently used them with regular partners. Also, 58% considered risky to have HIV-positive players among them., Conclusions: Young players do not consider themselves vulnerable despite their chances of HIV infection and unwanted pregnancy. They have poor knowledge about the human body and reproductive health. Soccer milieu as well as other sports milieus create great opportunities for prevention programs, where they may have a multiplier effect since athletes are often regarded as role models for children and youngsters.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of HIV and syphilis and related risk behavior in a sample of truck drivers in Santos, Brazil., Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed of 300 male truck drivers recruited in the port of Santos, Brazil, including a face-to-face interview and blood sampling for HIV and syphilis serology., Results: Of 300 subjects, 4 (1.3%) were positive for HIV, 25 (8.3%) for syphilis by the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test and 38 (13%) were positive for syphilis by the fluorescent treponemal antibody (absorbed) test (FTA-Abs). Seventy-one per cent had been employed as truck drivers for more than 10 years and 93% lived outside of Santos. Most participants were married (72%); 40% reported having more than one sex partner; 21% reported sex with commercial sex workers; 14% reported sex with girls that they met on the road; 16% had sex with other men's wives; and 3.3% reported sex with men during the past year. The use of rebite, an oral stimulant, was reported by 43% and was associated with being FTA-Abs-positive (P = 0.04). Being HIV-positive was associated with having sex with friends (P = 0.04), partners usually considered 'safe' by truck drivers. Being syphilis-positive (VDRL) was significantly associated with sex with partners also considered as 'safe', namely primary sex partners, steady partners and other men's wives., Discussion: This is the first study to determine HIV and syphilis seroprevalence among truck drivers in South America. Findings confirm that this group has a high potential risk for HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases, and thus currently presents an opportunity for prevention.

Objectives: To describe 'dry sex' practices intended to decrease vaginal secretions and to determine whether these practices are related to HIV infection., Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a sexually transmitted diseases clinic in a teaching hospital in Lusaka, Zambia. The subjects comprised 329 women aged 15-50 years presenting consecutively for an initial evaluation of sexually transmitted disease symptoms. Dry sex practices were assessed by questionnaire, and serological testing for HIV antibodies was performed., Results: Fifty percent of women had engaged in at least one dry sex practice. The most common practices were drinking 'porridge' (a liquid or suspension believed to cause drying of the vagina; 28%), removing vaginal secretions with a cloth (22%) and placing leaves in the vagina (11%). The most frequent reasons given for drinking porridge were to increase the partner's sexual enjoyment and to tighten the vagina, while cleaning the vagina was mentioned often by those using cloth or leaves. Swelling or peeling of the vagina was reported by approximately 10% of women using cloth or leaves. Overall, the HIV seroprevalence in the sample was 58%. In bivariate analysis, no practice was statistically significantly associated with HIV infection. Multiple logistic regression had little impact on these findings., Conclusions: Although a variety of practices with potential relevance to HIV transmission were reported, there was no evidence in this study population of a strong relationship between these practices and HIV infection. Women should be counseled about the potential risks of these practices, but prevention efforts should continue to emphasize measures of known effectiveness, particularly limiting the numbers of sexual partners, consistently using condoms and obtaining appropriate treatment for sexually transmitted diseases.

Purpose: In a context of increasing HIV/STD risks among adolescents in Latin America, new conceptions of sequential "sex education" are needed. However, older adolescents must be reached through shorter programs. A quasi-experimental study was conducted to evaluate the impact of a short school-based STD/AIDS prevention program on knowledge, attitudes, and intended behavior among secondary students in Lima., Methods: Aimed at empowering adolescents regarding their sexuality, improving knowledge and attitudes, and developing skills and prevention-oriented behavioral intentions, the program consisted of seven weekly two-hour sessions. Cost exclusive of research expenses was $3 per student reached., Results: 1213 students from 14 schools participated in either the intervention or control groups. Significant changes in knowledge on sexuality and AIDS, erotophilia, acceptance of contraception, machismo, and discrimination against persons with HIV/AIDS were found in the intervention group, as compared to the control group. Self-efficacy and prevention-oriented behavioral intentions were significantly better in the intervention group., Conclusions: Owing to its effectiveness, acceptability, and low cost, this program may become useful in reaching adolescents unable to participate in longer-term sex education programs in Peru and elsewhere.

The relationship between sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has been established. Little is known, however, about the relationship between being infected with an STD and initiating HIV risk-reduction behavior. We interviewed 267 young women who were family planning clients of the San Francisco Bay-Area Planned Parenthood clinics, of whom 40% were white, 37% African American, and 23% women of other ethnic origins. Fifty-three percent of the women surveyed reported having been diagnosed with an STD, and 22% reported two or more episodes of infection. African-American women who reported lower educational attainment and being unemployed were more likely to report having been infected with an STD than were women from other ethnic and demographic groups. Ethnic differences were also found in the prevalence of the risk behaviors associated with the self-reported STDs and in the relationship between reporting a history of STD and practicing HIV risk-reduction behavior. Women who reported an STD were significantly more likely to report having a nonmonogamous primary partner. Risk-reduction behaviors associated with a personal history of STD included being less likely to report having asked a sexual partner about his number of previous partners and being more likely to have been tested for antibodies to HIV. Results from this survey suggest that these family planning clients report a frequent history of STDs and that while some have attempted to reduce their risk, these efforts are inadequate. These data underscore a need for ethnically relevant HIV risk-reduction interventions for this population.

This study of HIV-positive women at a clinic for HIV/AIDS in São Paulo examined their risk perception for HIV before they had learned of their diagnosis and their experiences with pre- and post-test counselling. A sample of 148 women was interviewed regarding demographics, HIV risk factors and risk perception, pre- and post-test counselling, and sexual and reproductive conduct. The majority (77%) had been infected by their partners--37% by an injecting drug user partner. More than half (53%) did not perceive themselves at risk before learning of their HIV status and, of 68 who had perceived themselves at risk, 29% did so only after their partners became ill. The majority (64%) did not receive any kind of pre-test counselling. Post-test counselling was reported by 83% but 14% reported being mishandled by a physician in the process. Findings suggest the importance of prevention efforts to reduce women's barriers to learning about HIV status and the necessity of improving the quality of pre- and post-test counselling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]