Culture and sexual practices in response to HIV among Aboriginal people living on-reserve in Ontario.

This study explores some of the unique aspects of Aboriginal culture that characterize responses to HIV/AIDS in Canada, specifically high-risk sexual behaviour. Six hundred and fifty eight status Indians were randomly selected from eleven Aboriginal reserves to participate in an AIDS-related health survey. Interview techniques were developed to respond to cultural and community sensitivities. Responses from a subset of 566 individuals who answered all relevant questions were analysed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression to clarify the association between cultural variables and risk-taking. Participation in intercourse was associated with familiarity with Aboriginal traditions, learning about sex from partners and speaking an Aboriginal language. Condom use and the consistency of use were associated with learning about sex from family and through health services. Important challenges exist for the integration of traditional learning methods with knowledge of HIV/AIDS. It is important to understand the conflicting paradigms of Aboriginal tradition, modern medicine and public health service. An awareness of the complexity of culture and differences within and between communities is critical to future research in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]