How Little Do We Know about HIV and STIs Prevention? Results from a Web-Based Survey among the General Population

Abstract

Background: Prevention campaigns have led to a significant decrease in new HIV diagnoses in Western Europe, while other sexual transmitted infections (STIs) have shown an opposite trend. Several educational programs are promoted among young students, whereas informational campaigns addressing the general population are scarce. We aimed to investigate the level of awareness regarding STIs among the general population. Methods: We proposed a questionnaire regarding STIs and HIV to the general population in Italy. We assigned 1 point to correct, 0.5 point to partially correct, and 0 point to wrong answers. We collected data about age, sex, region of origin, level of education and whether they were health workers. Results: Overall, 2183 people answered the questionnaire, of which 555 aged over 50 years old. Being male, older than 50 years old, retired or unemployed, not educated, and no regular use of condoms were associated with lower scores. Only 16% of participants knew the Undetectable = Untransmittable (U = U) campaign. Overall, 2131 (97.6%) people think more educational campaigns should be offered. Of interest, 80% said the questionnaire led them to learn more about HIV and STIs. Conclusion: Our study reveals several gaps in general population awareness about HIV and STIs, especially among people aged over 50 years old. Most participants stated that the questionnaire was a learning opportunity. These data suggest that improvement of knowledge could start from easy-to-dispose medium, such as surveys and questionnaires delivered through social media. Furthermore, particular attention should be paid to population segmentation and campaign tailoring to enhance interventions effectiveness. Our data reinforce the need for more informational and educational campaigns tailored to the specific segments of the population.

Knowledge of Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV among People Living with HIV: Should We Be Concerned?

“…A study aiming to investigate the knowledge of STI and HIV among the general population through the same ten items reported a similar mean score to the one registered among PLHIV (7.62 ± 1.42 and 7.61 ± 1.22). However, participants from the two studies are not matched by age, sex, sexual orientation, level of education, and occupational status; thus, the results are difficult to compare [8]. An anonymous online survey conducted among men who have sex with men in England highlighted a better understanding of HIV and STI among PLHIV compared to people not living with HIV or with unknown HIV status.…”

“…Few data are available regarding STI proficiency among PLHIV. A recent survey in the general population reported at-risk behaviors linked to poor knowledge about STI transmission and prevention [8]. As the undetectable = untransmittable (U=U) message spreads, it is essential to reaffirm the risks associated with condomless sex and encourage routine STI screening for at-risk individuals.…”

Living with HIV and Getting Vaccinated: A Narrative Review

“…A recent review conducted in the United States shows a relatively low vaccination rate, even in newly diagnosed patients [ 234 ]. In this regard, we believe that informing people about the cross-efficacy of the vaccine for gonorrhoea could be an incentive for vaccination and an opportunity for counselling about meningitis and sexually transmitted infections [ 235 ].…”

Obstrução Das Vias Aeréas Por Corpo Estranho (Ovace): Educação Permanente Dos Profissionais Na Atenção Primária À Saúde

“…Nesse estudo constatouse que o nível de conhecimento acerca do HIV e da transmissão e prevenção de doenças sexualmente transmissíveis em pessoas de idade superior a 60 anos foi inferior ao de pessoas com 50 a 59, 40 a 49, 30 a 39 ou 20 a 29 anos. Ainda, ser aposentado ou desempregado foi associado ao baixo conhecimento por parte dos participantes (VITO et al,2022). Isso corrobora com os dados apresentados uma pesquisa realizada nos Estados Unidos que também avaliava o conhecimento de idosos com 65 anos ou mais sobre ISTs.…”