Purpose: A short HIV/AIDS risk behaviour knowledge index based on questions about HIV transmission and prevention of HIV infection during sexual intercourse and intravenous drug use is proposed and implemented for an HIV average risk population in Munich. Methods: Knowledge levels about HIV/AIDS risk behaviour was assessed in a group of people (n=210) in sexually active age range of 18-49 years which was at an average risk of contracting HIV. Four questions about HIV transmission by unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sexual intercourse, and by needle sharing, and two questions about HIV prevention by condom use, and the single use of needles and syringes were chosen from ten others for making a four level risk behaviour knowledge index (HIV/AIDS Transmission through Sex and Intravenous Drug Use, HATSIDU) internally consistent according to Cronbach's alpha. Results: HATSIDU index (mean 3.0, SD±1.18) was not associated (p>0.05) with sex and marital status, but depended (p<0.05) on age, education and social status. General population of Munich in a sexually active age group of 40-49 years, or those without further education or the unemployed, had a significantly lower knowledge of HIV risk behaviour. Conclusion: The HATSIDU is a simple and usable index for the assessment of HIV/AIDS risk behaviour knowledge in a population with an average risk of HIV infection.

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We read the paper by Perkins et al. (2011) with great interest because it highlighted a very important issue about fathers' attitudes towards HPV infection and their intentions regarding HPV vaccine. No surveys have been published yet demonstrating the extent of fathers' knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccine together with its acceptance in Germany. In an attempt to fill this gap, we would like to share our findings from a recent pilot survey investigating the awareness of HPV infection and related health outcomes as well as HPV prevention by vaccination, in fathers and non-fathers attending the Munich University outpatient clinic (non-sexually transmitted infections/HIV or genito-urinary medicine).Between January and February 2010, consecutive male German-speaking patients who were 18 years of age or older were asked to participate in an anonymous cross-sectional survey on HPV, HPV vaccination and genitoanal neoplasms. Multiple regression was used to analyse the association between age, family status, education and parental status, and HPV-related knowledge, reporting adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with their 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). A p value \0.05 was considered as significant. Statistical analyses were performed using the PASW Statistics 18 software (SPSS, Chicago, IL). The survey was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Medical Faculty of LudwigMaximilian University.The final sample included 243 respondents (75.9% out of 320 questionnaires handed out). The median age of the participants was 44.4 (mean = 43.8, standard deviation ±15.2) years; almost half (43.6%, n = 106) of the respondents were married, 32.1% (n = 78) single, 45.7% (n = 111) fathers, one-third had a college (34.4%, n = 83) or university education (29%, n = 70), and 61.2% (n = 148) were in employment.Less than one-third (29.2% out of 243) of the participants had heard of HPV and only 14% of HPV vaccine. The HPV and genitoanal warts-related knowledge in the whole sample and by parental status is presented in Table 1. About half of our respondents were fathers who had, on average, 1.8 children (median = 2). Only 19.8% of fathers were aware of HPV, 8.2% had heard of HPV vaccine and only two of them let their daughters have the HPV vaccination; five would let their daughter get vaccinated if they had one. Non-fathers were significantly more aware of HPV and HPV vaccination than fathers (Table 1). Being a father was associated with an increased probability of not having heard of HPV (OR = 2.33, 1.29-4.19; n = 241), HPV vaccine (OR = 2.64, 1.17-5.94; n = 237) and not knowing of the causal link between HPV and genitoanal warts (asked as a one term) (OR = 2.03, 1.19-3.46; n = 234) compared to non-fathers.The study showed a very limited knowledge in males and especially in fathers regarding HPV infection and vaccination. In an Italian study, 76.9% fathers (of n = 1,093) had heard of HPV (Pelucchi et al. 2010) and in an American study, 85% (of n = 111) were aware of HPV vaccine (Cates et al. 2010).The majority of our respondents who were aware of HPV...

In Germany, immigrants from Former Soviet Union (FSU) countries represent one of the largest immigrant groups. Some FSU countries face the highest HIV prevalence in the region of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. However, the HIV knowledge, attitude and behavioral intent have not been investigated in FSU immigrants compared to the native population yet. A cross-sectional anonymous survey among 1,205 FSU immigrants and 435 native Germans (aged 18-65 years) in Bavaria. Data analysis from the participating 435 (36 %) immigrants and 334 (76.8 %) natives showed that the immigrants were less knowledgeable (p < .001) about HIV transmission (median score 8 vs. 9, ranged from 0 to 10) and HIV prevention (4 vs. 5, ranged from 0 to 6) than the native Germans, especially with regard to HIV transmission during anal (67 vs. 79.1 %; OR = 1.86 [1.32-2.62]) and oral (49.7 vs. 61.8 %; OR = 1.63 [1.21-2.20]) intercourse and showed a high misconception rate. Age and education were associated with knowledge about sexual HIV transmission; male gender, age and education with HIV prevention by single-use of needles/syringes. In case of a suspected HIV contraction, fewer immigrants would request a test; in case of a confirmed HIV diagnosis fewer would use a condom or inform their sexual partner(s). This first comparative study indicates an urgent need for HIV/AIDS education among FSU immigrants.

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