Perfis de Vulnerabilidade Feminina ao HIV/aids em Belo Horizonte e Recife: comparando brancas e negras

Abstract

Objetivo: Delinear e comparar os perfis das mulheres brancas e negras entre 18 e 59 anos, residentes em Belo Horizonte e Recife, enfocando características sociodemográficas e de conhecimento, além de atitudes em relação ao HIV/aids. Métodos: Os dados são oriundos da pesquisa amostral SRSR -Saúde Reprodutiva, Sexualidade e Raça/Cor, conduzida pelo Cedeplar/UFMG em 2002 e única desta natureza com representatividade municipal. O método utilizado foi o Grade of Membership (GoM), a partir do qual foram gerados quatro perfis extremos para cada município. Resultados: Tanto em Belo Horizonte quanto em Recife, as mulheres com maior probabilidade de serem brancas são também aquelas com maior probabilidade de ter escolaridade mais elevada, possuir plano de saúde, ter tido parceiro estável no ano anterior à pesquisa e ter poder na relação sexual. Quanto às negras, apenas em Belo Horizonte elas têm maior probabilidade de serem de baixa escolaridade, não possuírem plano de saúde, além de se sentirem desempoderadas diante do parceiro sexual. Conclusões: A comparação dos perfis de brancas e negras em Belo Horizonte e Recife revela diferenças na vulnerabilidade dessas mulheres ao HIV/aids. As diferenças entre os dois grupos são mais evidentes em Belo Horizonte.

Knowledge and attitudes about sexuality in the elderly with HIV/AIDS

“…In this study the population consisted of 67% white, 9% black, 23% mixed and 1% Asian. A different result was found in literature, which reveals greater vulnerability of black to HIV/AIDS in Brazil (16) . In the study conducted in the United States of America, that estimated the incidence of HIV between 2006 and 2009, it was observed that the only group that showed an increase in the incidence rate was the young black males who had sexual intercourse with other men (19) .…”

“…However, it is currently noticeable the increase of AIDS cases among women (16) who, in general, have lower income, a more susceptible health and succumb to this disease faster than men (17) . The improved quality of life with access to health services, medication, better nutrition, leisure and general wellbeing conditions, as well as recent advances of the pharmaceutical industry and the medicine, allow the extension of an active sex life and, in association with the demystification of the gender, make the elderly more vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections, among them, the HIV/AIDS (18) .…”

“…There is a close relation between unfavorable socioeconomic indicators and the increase of HIV/ AIDS incidence. Individuals with low education, low income and residents of geographical areas with low human development index have been the most affected by the disease (16) . The low level of knowledge about sexuality of the elderly demonstrated by the participants of this study highlights the need for new actions and programs to prevent HIV/AIDS as, although the incidence of the disease is increasing among the elderly, they normally do not see themselves as a risk group (28) .…”

Zika Virus Public Health Crisis and the Perpetuation of Gender Inequality in Brazil

“…Brazilian ethnographic experts have illuminated, for example, power exerted over low-SES women commonly related to condom negotiations and intimate-partner violence (23). In Brazil, higher educational attainment was associated with lower adolescent and unintended pregnancy (15,55), and more con dence in enforcing condom use (25), resulting in higher condom practice (26,46). As noted, condom practice and pregnancy prevention remained of primary interest when analyzing the Zika epidemic, given the disease sexual transmission.…”

“…There are several barriers to contraceptive implementation, such as lack of access and high costs (13,14), inconsistent use (15), methods with high failure rate and lack of access to medical care (16). These vulnerabilities add to intimate-partner violence, women's powerlessness to negotiate condom use and other gender norms in partner interaction (17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23), which could prevent both pregnancy and sexual transmission of Zika, especially among the less educated (18,(24)(25)(26). Women who lack reproductive rights are among the poorest and less educated in the country, and oftentimes, live in the least developed areas of the country.…”