Thesis (MPH.) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / BACKGROUND: In Botswana, women and girls continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. According to the UNAIDS in 2009, 170 000 of the estimated 300000 adults living with HIV or one quarter of the population aged 15 and over were women. HIV prevalence trend among pregnant women (Botswana Sentinel Surveillance 2001-2009) aged 15-49 years attending antenatal in public clinics is 31.8%. The national HIV prevalence amongst the women surveyed has shown a decline of prevalence from 36.2% in 2001 to 30.4% in 2011. AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of the study was to determine the perceptions of women of reproductive age in Nkoyaphiri clinic, Mogoditshane village towards the use of female condom (FC). METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used on a sample of 125 women of reproductive age in Nkoyaphiri clinic in Botswana. A self-administered questionnaire written in both English and Setswana were given to 125 women of reproductive age. Their responses were coded, cleaned and entered into SPSS version 21.0 software for analysis. FINDINGS: About 92% of women of reproductive age heard about FC, more than half (64.8%) of respondents reported that they do not know how to use FC, and 88% have never used FC. The results had shown that a higher percentage (88%) of respondents have never ever used FC compared to (12%) that have used it. Most participants 46.4% believed that FC can prevent unwanted pregnancies, the Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) and HIV/AIDS 42.4%. The results also show that 18.4% of respondents often use female condom inconsistently, while 3.3% cited it as their current contraceptive method. CONCLUSION: The results of this study shows that the level of FC use is lower (12%) among respondents, compared to 88% who never used FC. This shows that majority of women had never used FC. This results show that a lot still needs to be done in promoting the use of FC and strategies should be designed to send information to all individuals. Lack of knowledge on the use of FC contributes to lack of use of FC among women.

Introdução: As atividades e operações militares exigem mobilizações frequentes, sendo imperativo que seus membros permaneçam saudáveis física e mentalmente para o desempenho adequado de suas funções. Métodos: 473 alunos da Academia foram convidados a responder um questionário anônimo, autorresponsivo, referente ao consumo de tabaco e álcool, ao comportamento sexual e à saúde mental. O consumo de tabaco e álcool foi avaliado por questionário utilizado no Estudo Longitudinal de Saúde do Adulto - ELSA-Brasil, o comportamento sexual foi avaliado por questionário aplicado pelo Ministério da Saúde em conscritos do Exército Brasileiro e, para avaliação da saúde mental, foi usado o Self Report Questionnaire (SRQ-20). As variáveis categóricas foram expressas em porcentagem e comparadas usando qui-quadrado ou teste exato de Fisher, conforme apropriado. As variáveis numéricas foram expressas em média (desvio padrão) e comparadas pelo teste ANOVA com teste post hoc de Bonferroni. O nível de significância foi de 5,0%. Todas as análises foram realizadas com SPSS-16.0. Resultados: A amostra foi composta por 384 homens e 45 mulheres, a maioria de raça branca (76,2%), idade inferior a 30 anos, solteira, pertencente às classes sociais B1 e B2 (59,2%), paulista (99,1%) e com sustento próprio (75,5%). Verificou-se que 6,5% dos alunos oficiais eram fumantes (6,5% dos homens e 6,7% das mulheres, P=0,8), 69,7% dos alunos (71,9% dos homens e 51,1% das mulheres, P=0,02) ingeriam algum tipo de bebida alcoólica e 14,6% dos homens e 13,3% das mulheres (P=0,82) relatavam história prévia de doença sexualmente transmissível (DST). O uso consistente de proteção sexual com parcerias fixas foi de 17,4% nos homens e 33,3% nas mulheres (P=0,13), com parcerias casuais, foi de 64,2% nos homens e 60,0% nas mulheres (P=0,22), e com parcerias pagas, foi de 92,9% somente nos homens, considerando que apenas 14 homens valeram-se de tais parcerias. Aproximadamente 25,0% dos alunos acreditavam na transmissão de DST por meio do uso de banheiros públicos. A presença de transtorno mental comum (TMC) foi encontrada em 15,6% da amostra (sem diferença entre os sexos, P=0,98). Ao longo dos anos da Academia, notou-se um aumento médio do número de sintomas de TMC considerando a amostra toda com homens e mulheres (P de tendência = 0,02), somente homens (P de tendência = 0,003), somente homens que vieram da tropa (P de tendência = 0,053) e somente homens que vieram da vida civil (P de tendência = 0,02). Conclusão: A amostra tem menor prevalência de tabagismo em relação à população militar e civil dos EUA e à população civil brasileira. O consumo de álcool é semelhante ao da população brasileira e ao da população militar dos EUA. O uso de preservativos de forma consistente com parcerias fixas é menos frequente do que com parcerias casuais e parcerias pagas, o que se associou a uma maior frequência de doenças sexualmente transmissíveis na amostra. Os alunos oficiais mostram lacunas no conhecimento sobre a transmissão de doenças sexualmente transmissíveis. Encontra-se a presença de transtornos mentais comuns em 15,6% da amostra, com tendência de aumento no número médio de sintomas, mas não na frequência de transtorno mental comum ao longo do curso. Concluiu-se que o conhecimento sobre DST ainda precisa melhorar e que, apesar de todas as orientações, o uso de preservativos ainda está longe do ideal nessa amostra de alunos oficiais da Academia de Polícia. O número de sintomas que fazem parte do diagnóstico de transtorno mental comum aumenta durante o curso sem ultrapassar o limiar diagnóstico / Introduction: The activities and military operations require frequent mobilizations and it is imperative that its members remain healthy physically and mentally for the proper performance of their duties. Methods: 473 Academy students were invited to answer an anonymous self-responsive questionnaire about tobacco and alcohol use, sexual behavior and mental health. The consumption of tobacco and alcohol was assessed by questionnaire used in the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health - ELSA-Brazil, sexual behavior was assessed by questionnaire administered by the Ministry of Health in the Brazilian army conscripts and for mental health assessment was used the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ - 20). Categorical variables are expressed as percentages and compared using chi-square or Fisher\'s exact test, as appropriate. Numerical variables are expressed as mean (standard deviation) and compared using ANOVA with post hoc Bonferroni test. The significance level was 5%. All analyzes are performed using SPSS - 16.0. Results: The sample comprised 384 men and 45 women, mostly white (76.2%), under 30 years of age, unmarried , belonging to social classes B1 and B2 (59.2%), from the state of São Paulo (99.1%) and on own support (75.5%). It was found that 6.5% of military students are smokers (6.5% of men vs 6.7 % women, P=0,80), 69.7 % of students (71,9 % men vs 51.1 % women, P=0,02 ) drink some kind of alcoholic beverage and that 14.6% of men and 13.3% of women (P=0,82) reported previous sexually transmitted diseases (STD). Consistent use of protection with steady partners was 17.4% in men and 33.3% in women (P=0,13) with casual partners was 64.2% in men 60% women (P = 0,22), only 14 men had just paid partnerships and 92.9% protected themselves. Approximately 25% of students believe in STD transmission using public restrooms. The presence of common mental disorders (CMD) was of 15.6% of the sample (no gender difference, P=0,98). Over the years, the Academy has noticed an average increase in the number of symptoms of CMD considering the entire sample, men and women (P for trend =0,02), considering only men (P for trend =0,003), considering only men who came from troop (P for trend =0,053), and only men who came from civilian life (P trend =0,02). Conclusion: The sample has a lower prevalence of smoking in relation to military and civilian U.S. population and in relation to the Brazilian civilian population. Alcohol consumption is similar as consumption in Brazilian population and the military population of the U. S. Using condoms consistently with steady partners is less frequent than with casual partners and paid partnerships and this could explain the higher incidence of sexually transmitted diseases in the sample. The military students show gaps in knowledge about transmission of sexually transmitted diseases. We found the presence of common mental disorders in 15.6% of the sample, with an increasing trend in the average number of symptoms, but not in the frequency of common mental disorders throughout the course. We concluded that knowledge about STDs still needs to improve and that despite all the guidelines, condom use is still far from ideal in this sample of military students at the Police Academy. The number of symptoms that are part of diagnosis of the common mental disorder increased during the course without exceeding the threshold for diagnosis

A proposição inicial do uso de camisinha como prevenção de HIV/aids está vinculada à noção de sexo seguro, desenvolvida pela comunidade gay estadunidense no início da década de 1980. No Brasil, o sexo seguro foi incorporado nas primeiras respostas à epidemia e, com o desenvolvimento das ações preventivas, a camisinha foi adotada como a principal estratégia de proteção contra a transmissão do HIV por via sexual. Atualmente, o segmento populacional composto por gays e outros homens que fazem sexo com homens (HSH) configura um dos focos de concentração da epidemia e, portanto, um dos públicos-chave para o direcionamento da prevenção. Este trabalho tem como objetivo recuperar os discursos acerca da camisinha como estratégia de prevenção de HIV/aids entre gays/HSH, construídos pela política pública de saúde e pelos movimentos sociais no Brasil, buscando compreender seus significados no contexto dos impasses enfrentados pela prevenção ao longo de sua história. O estudo é fundamentado nas abordagens construcionistas da sexualidade e utiliza como referências a perspectiva da vulnerabilidade e a teoria dos scripts sexuais. Trata-se de investigação qualitativa, realizada com base em entrevistas em profundidade com 13 pessoas que mantêm/mantiveram envolvimento significativo com o enfrentamento da epidemia de HIV/aids no país e/ou com a reflexão acerca das questões relativas à prevenção, especialmente no âmbito dos cenários sexuais gays/HSH. Foram selecionados atores de destaque no trabalho relacionado à promoção do uso da camisinha: condução de políticas públicas, produção de pesquisa e atuação em movimentos sociais LGBT e de aids. A partir das narrativas colhidas e de referências associadas, é apresentada uma recuperação histórica da trajetória da camisinha como prevenção de HIV/aids. A análise ressalta que a convergência dos discursos preventivos na recomendação da camisinha resvalou no tecnicismo, característico do processo de medicalização do social. O uso tecnicista da prevenção consistiu em (a) uma abordagem prescritiva, expressa na progressiva reprodução da mensagem \"use camisinha\"; (b) na descontextualização dos discursos preventivos em relação ao conteúdo sexual inerente ao uso da camisinha, contestada especialmente nas propostas de erotização desse insumo; (c) na postura impositiva de profissionais e campanhas de prevenção. Adicionalmente, a prevenção tem esbarrado nas dificuldades de abordagem do homoerotismo em função do fortalecimento de resistências moralistas e conservadoras na política brasileira. Esse cenário, que compromete os direitos de gays/HSH à saúde, é agravado por uma crise na estrutura dos programas de aids e das organizações dos movimentos sociais. Desse modo, o avanço no enfrentamento da epidemia e, mais especificamente, a redução das taxas de infecção em gays/HSH dependem da superação dessas barreiras, que tendem a se reproduzir na abordagem das novas tecnologias de prevenção em HIV/aids / The initial proposal for the use of condoms to prevent HIV/AIDS is linked to the concept of safe sex, developed by the gay community in the United States in the early 1980s. In Brazil, safe sex was incorporated in the early responses to the epidemic and, with the development of preventive actions, condom promotion was adopted as the main strategy to protect against HIV sexual transmission. Nowadays, the population segment composed of gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM) represents one of the focuses of the epidemic concentration and therefore one of the key populations for targeting prevention. This work aims to recover the discourses on the use of condoms as an HIV/AIDS prevention strategy directed to gay/MSM population, built by both Brazilian public health policy and social movements, seeking to understand their meaning in the context of the impasses faced by prevention throughout his history. This study is based on constructionist frameworks of sexuality and uses as references the vulnerability perspective and the theory of sexual scripts. This is a qualitative research, carried out based on in-depth interviews with 13 people who keep/kept significant roles in fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country and/or in the reflecting on issues related to prevention, especially in the scope of gay/MSM sexual scenarios. The selected participants are prominent actors in the work related to the promotion of condom use: driving public policy, producing research and acting in LGBT and AIDS social movements. From the collected narratives and associated references, a historical recovery of the trajectory of the condom as an HIV/AIDS prevention is presented. The analysis points out that the convergence of preventive discourses on recommendation of the condom slipped on the technicism, characteristic of the process of social medicalization. The technicist use of the prevention consisted of (a) a prescriptive approach, expressed in the forward playback of the message \"use condom\"; (b) the decontextualization of preventive discourses in relation to sexual content inherent in the use of condoms, especially contested in proposals of eroticizing this device; (c) the impositive posture of professionals and prevention campaigns. Additionally, prevention has bogged down in difficulties on the approach of homoeroticism due to the strengthening of moralist and conservative resistances in Brazilian policy. This scenario, which undermines the rights of gay/MSM to health, is exacerbated by a crisis in the structure of AIDS programs and organizations of social movements. Thus, the progress in confronting the epidemic and, more specifically, in the reduction of infection rates in gay/MSM depend on overcoming these barriers which tend to be reproduced in the approach to the new HIV/AIDS prevention technologies

Using lessor's psychosocial framework of risk behaviour, this study examined the impact of variables within a number of risk domains on condom use at last sex. The sample was 587 sexually active male and female black youth between the ages of 16 and 20 years old from the township areas of Soweto (Johannesburg), Umlazi (Durban) and Khayelitsha (Cape Town). Binary logistic regression models were used in the analysis. Within the biological risk domain, gender was a significant predictor of condom use at last sex. None of the proximate social context variables, viz. parental education, family structure, and parent-adolescent communication, were significant predictors. Health services' promotion of condom use was a significant predictor within the distal social context. Within the perceived environment in relation to the self, perception of risk and perception of barriers were significant predictors of condom use at last sex. None of the variables within the perceived environment in relation to peers domain, viz. perceived peer attitudes to condoms and peers suffering the negative consequences of unprotected sex, were significant. The personality domain contained measures of self-esteem, future time orientation, locus of control and fatalism. Locus of control was the only significant predictor within this domain of condom use at last. Engagement in other risk taking behaviour, such as smoking cigarettes, alcohol and drug use, was a significant predictor within the general behaviour domain. Within the sexual behaviour domain, partner discussion and contraceptive use were significant predictors of condom use at last sex. 2 In the final model, the significant predictors in order of importance, were the perception of risk, the promotion of condom use by a health professional, locus of control, discussion with a partner, the perception of barriers, the use of contraceptives, and risk taking behaviour. The only interaction in the final model of condom use at last sex was between the promotion of condom use by a health professional and concurrent use of other forms of non-barrier contraception. / Thesis (M.A.)- University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Dev.Studies)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

HIV/AIDS is a global pandemic; and for South African Authorities it is still a huge concern. 17 per cent of the population aged 15 to 49 live with the HIV virus and KwaZulu-Natal remains the area most affected by the pandemic. In order to prevent the disease’s expansion among university students, the health authorities have make available across all campuses and for free Choice and Love condoms.This study explores the perception of the positioning of these government brands compared to the other commercial condoms available among students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The study is in part a survey, using research questionnaire administered to more than 200 students at the Westville and Howard College and Nelson Mandela Medical School campuses to determine their perceptions of the competing condom brands. The study primarily makes use of the marketing theory of brand positioning to address the issue; a perceptual map is designed indicating the respective positions of the competing brands. The survey revealed that the Love brand is not very well known by students, and confirmed that the Choice brand is perceived as poor. One reason provided is the negative association of the South African government with the brand. Many students complained of experiencing a bad smell after using Choice. That led to the variant of scent being used in the study as an essential component for condom preference. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.

La présente thèse s’inscrit dans la problématique de la mise en acte de l’intention. Elle traite des variables influençant la résistance à l’usage du préservatif, en s’inspirant de la théorie du comportement planifié d’Ajzen (1991). Cette théorie postule qu’un comportement planifié est précédé d’une intention d’action et l’intention est le prédicteur décisif du comportement. Cependant, les résultats obtenus de l’enquête menée auprès des adolescents-élèves sexuellement actifs des classes terminales de la ville de Yaoundé (Cameroun) montrent que la relation intention-comportement n’est pas évidente. En effet, 38% des participants manifestant par ailleurs une bonne intention de porter le préservatif pour se protéger du VIH/Sida ont malheureusement eu des rapports sexuels non protégés (sans préservatif). L’analyse des résultats montre que cette asymétrie est due à l’influence exercée par des variables statistiquement inventoriées comme intermédiaires à l’intention d’agir et à l’action. C’est ainsi que la conclusion suivante a été retenue : il existe entre l’intention d’agir et l’action des variables qui conduisent à la réalisation d’un comportement « anti-intentionnel ». Autrement dit, l’intention perd parfois l’autonomie sur le comportement. / The present thesis facts within the problematic framework of putting into action an intention. It deals with variables influencing resistance in the use of preservatives with inspiration from the theory of planned behaviour by Ajzen (1991). This theory states that a planned behaviour is preceded by an intentional action and the intention is a decisive predictor of behaviour. However, the results obtained from fieldwork involving sexually active adolescents-students in the upper sixth form in the city of Yaounde (Cameroon) show that the relationship between intention and behaviour is not evident. In reality, 38% of participants manifesting a good intention of using preservatives (condoms) for protection against Hiv/Aids have unfortunately had improtected sexual intercourse (ie without preservatives). The analysis of results show that this asymetry is due to the influence exercised by the inventorised statistical variables as intermediaries in the intention to act and action. Thus the following conclusion is retained: there exists between the intention to act and action variables which lead to the realisation of a behaviour “anti-intentional”. Put in another sense, the intention loses sometimes its autonomy on the behaviour.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-08T14:47:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 1415121 bytes, checksum: 10b7fa140e10f527f5b06b0f88e21513 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-02-27 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The use of condoms is the main preventive measure to reduce and control the feminization and heterosexuals of AIDS. The objectives of the study were: to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of women about the use of condoms as a preventive measure to STIs/HIV; to associate sociodemographic factors (age, religion, education and marital status) with the knowledge, attitude and practice of condom use among women; and to analyze the association between knowledge and attitude with the practice of condom‟s use among married and single women. This is an evaluative research of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) of cross-sectional quantitative approach with a sample of 300 women living in a subnormal region in the city of João Pessoa, over 18 years old and that already started sexual life. The data collection ocurred from June to August 2013, following a plan of systematic sampling, to jump three households. The instrument for data collection included sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle habits, sexual/reproductive history, as well as questions involving knowledge, attitude and practice adapted from the models of KAP survey of the Ministry of Health and Nicolau (2010). Data were collected, stored and analyzed with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. For associations between variables, the Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test was used, whereas a statistically significant result when p ≤ 0.05. The results indicated that most of the surveyed had aged ≥ 35 years, did not work, characterizing itself as housewives, Catholic religious orientation, finished the primary school, mixed race, heterosexual, married and with income about a minimum salary. Most had first sexual intercourse before the age of majority and did not use condoms during their first sexual intercourse. Regarding the suitability of the KAP on the male condom, the majority possessed inadequate knowledge, proper attitude and bad practice. For the female condom knowledge, attitudes and practices were inadequate. There were no significant associations between the suitability and demographic data about the female condom. However, for the male condom were associated significantly, religious guidance and proper knowledge, education and proper attitude. The association between marital status and adequate practice greatly approached the level of significance. The relationship between attitude/practice is much stronger (p < 0.05) than knowledge/practice among married and single interface. / O uso de preservativos se constitui a principal medida preventiva para reduzir e controlar a feminização e heterossexualização da Aids. Assim, os objetivos do estudo foram: avaliar o conhecimento, a atitude e a prática de mulheres quanto ao uso de preservativos como medida preventiva às IST/HIV; associar fatores sociodemográficos (idade, religião, escolaridade e estado civil) com o conhecimento, atitude e prática do uso de preservativos entre mulheres; e analisar a associação do conhecimento e da atitude com a prática do uso de preservativos entre mulheres solteiras e casadas. Trata-se de uma pesquisa avaliativa de Conhecimento, Atitude e Prática (CAP), de corte transversal e abordagem quantitativa, com amostra de 300 mulheres, residentes em um aglomerado subnormal do município de João Pessoa, maiores de 18 anos e que já tivesse iniciado a vida sexual. O inquérito domiciliar ocorreu de junho a agosto de 2013, seguindo um plano de amostragem sistemática, com salto de três domicílios. O instrumento de coleta de dados incluiu a caracterização sociodemográfica, hábitos de vida, histórico sexual/reprodutivo, bem como perguntas envolvendo conhecimento, atitude e prática adaptado dos modelos de inquérito CAP do Ministério da Saúde e de Nicolau (2010). Os dados foram compilados, armazenados e analisados com o auxílio do programa estatístico Statistical Package for the social sciences (SPSS) versão 20.0. Para as associações entre as variáveis, foi utilizado o Teste Qui-quadrado de Pearson e Teste Exato de Fisher, considerando um resultado estatisticamente significativo quando p≤0,05. Os resultados indicaram que a maioria das pesquisadas possuía idade ≥ 35 anos, não trabalhavam, caracterizando-se como do lar, de orientação religiosa católica, com o ensino fundamental, pardas, heterossexuais, casadas e com rendimento de até um salário mínimo. A maioria teve sexarca antes da maioridade etária e não utilizaram preservativo durante a primeira relação sexual. Quanto à adequabilidade do CAP sobre o preservativo masculino, a maioria possuiu conhecimento inadequado, atitude adequada e prática inadequada. Para o preservativo feminino, o conhecimento, a atitude e a prática foram inadequados. Não houve associações significativas entre a adequabilidade e dados sociodemográficos quanto ao preservativo feminino. Entretanto, para a camisinha masculina, associaram-se significativamente, a orientação religiosa e o conhecimento adequado, a escolaridade e a atitude adequada. A associação entre estado civil e prática adequada aproximou-se sobremaneira do nível de significância. A relação entre atitude/prática é muito mais forte (p<0,05) que a relação conhecimento/prática entre solteiras e casadas.

Introdução: As atividades e operações militares exigem mobilizações frequentes, sendo imperativo que seus membros permaneçam saudáveis física e mentalmente para o desempenho adequado de suas funções. Métodos: 473 alunos da Academia foram convidados a responder um questionário anônimo, autorresponsivo, referente ao consumo de tabaco e álcool, ao comportamento sexual e à saúde mental. O consumo de tabaco e álcool foi avaliado por questionário utilizado no Estudo Longitudinal de Saúde do Adulto - ELSA-Brasil, o comportamento sexual foi avaliado por questionário aplicado pelo Ministério da Saúde em conscritos do Exército Brasileiro e, para avaliação da saúde mental, foi usado o Self Report Questionnaire (SRQ-20). As variáveis categóricas foram expressas em porcentagem e comparadas usando qui-quadrado ou teste exato de Fisher, conforme apropriado. As variáveis numéricas foram expressas em média (desvio padrão) e comparadas pelo teste ANOVA com teste post hoc de Bonferroni. O nível de significância foi de 5,0%. Todas as análises foram realizadas com SPSS-16.0. Resultados: A amostra foi composta por 384 homens e 45 mulheres, a maioria de raça branca (76,2%), idade inferior a 30 anos, solteira, pertencente às classes sociais B1 e B2 (59,2%), paulista (99,1%) e com sustento próprio (75,5%). Verificou-se que 6,5% dos alunos oficiais eram fumantes (6,5% dos homens e 6,7% das mulheres, P=0,8), 69,7% dos alunos (71,9% dos homens e 51,1% das mulheres, P=0,02) ingeriam algum tipo de bebida alcoólica e 14,6% dos homens e 13,3% das mulheres (P=0,82) relatavam história prévia de doença sexualmente transmissível (DST). O uso consistente de proteção sexual com parcerias fixas foi de 17,4% nos homens e 33,3% nas mulheres (P=0,13), com parcerias casuais, foi de 64,2% nos homens e 60,0% nas mulheres (P=0,22), e com parcerias pagas, foi de 92,9% somente nos homens, considerando que apenas 14 homens valeram-se de tais parcerias. Aproximadamente 25,0% dos alunos acreditavam na transmissão de DST por meio do uso de banheiros públicos. A presença de transtorno mental comum (TMC) foi encontrada em 15,6% da amostra (sem diferença entre os sexos, P=0,98). Ao longo dos anos da Academia, notou-se um aumento médio do número de sintomas de TMC considerando a amostra toda com homens e mulheres (P de tendência = 0,02), somente homens (P de tendência = 0,003), somente homens que vieram da tropa (P de tendência = 0,053) e somente homens que vieram da vida civil (P de tendência = 0,02). Conclusão: A amostra tem menor prevalência de tabagismo em relação à população militar e civil dos EUA e à população civil brasileira. O consumo de álcool é semelhante ao da população brasileira e ao da população militar dos EUA. O uso de preservativos de forma consistente com parcerias fixas é menos frequente do que com parcerias casuais e parcerias pagas, o que se associou a uma maior frequência de doenças sexualmente transmissíveis na amostra. Os alunos oficiais mostram lacunas no conhecimento sobre a transmissão de doenças sexualmente transmissíveis. Encontra-se a presença de transtornos mentais comuns em 15,6% da amostra, com tendência de aumento no número médio de sintomas, mas não na frequência de transtorno mental comum ao longo do curso. Concluiu-se que o conhecimento sobre DST ainda precisa melhorar e que, apesar de todas as orientações, o uso de preservativos ainda está longe do ideal nessa amostra de alunos oficiais da Academia de Polícia. O número de sintomas que fazem parte do diagnóstico de transtorno mental comum aumenta durante o curso sem ultrapassar o limiar diagnóstico / Introduction: The activities and military operations require frequent mobilizations and it is imperative that its members remain healthy physically and mentally for the proper performance of their duties. Methods: 473 Academy students were invited to answer an anonymous self-responsive questionnaire about tobacco and alcohol use, sexual behavior and mental health. The consumption of tobacco and alcohol was assessed by questionnaire used in the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health - ELSA-Brazil, sexual behavior was assessed by questionnaire administered by the Ministry of Health in the Brazilian army conscripts and for mental health assessment was used the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ - 20). Categorical variables are expressed as percentages and compared using chi-square or Fisher\'s exact test, as appropriate. Numerical variables are expressed as mean (standard deviation) and compared using ANOVA with post hoc Bonferroni test. The significance level was 5%. All analyzes are performed using SPSS - 16.0. Results: The sample comprised 384 men and 45 women, mostly white (76.2%), under 30 years of age, unmarried , belonging to social classes B1 and B2 (59.2%), from the state of São Paulo (99.1%) and on own support (75.5%). It was found that 6.5% of military students are smokers (6.5% of men vs 6.7 % women, P=0,80), 69.7 % of students (71,9 % men vs 51.1 % women, P=0,02 ) drink some kind of alcoholic beverage and that 14.6% of men and 13.3% of women (P=0,82) reported previous sexually transmitted diseases (STD). Consistent use of protection with steady partners was 17.4% in men and 33.3% in women (P=0,13) with casual partners was 64.2% in men 60% women (P = 0,22), only 14 men had just paid partnerships and 92.9% protected themselves. Approximately 25% of students believe in STD transmission using public restrooms. The presence of common mental disorders (CMD) was of 15.6% of the sample (no gender difference, P=0,98). Over the years, the Academy has noticed an average increase in the number of symptoms of CMD considering the entire sample, men and women (P for trend =0,02), considering only men (P for trend =0,003), considering only men who came from troop (P for trend =0,053), and only men who came from civilian life (P trend =0,02). Conclusion: The sample has a lower prevalence of smoking in relation to military and civilian U.S. population and in relation to the Brazilian civilian population. Alcohol consumption is similar as consumption in Brazilian population and the military population of the U. S. Using condoms consistently with steady partners is less frequent than with casual partners and paid partnerships and this could explain the higher incidence of sexually transmitted diseases in the sample. The military students show gaps in knowledge about transmission of sexually transmitted diseases. We found the presence of common mental disorders in 15.6% of the sample, with an increasing trend in the average number of symptoms, but not in the frequency of common mental disorders throughout the course. We concluded that knowledge about STDs still needs to improve and that despite all the guidelines, condom use is still far from ideal in this sample of military students at the Police Academy. The number of symptoms that are part of diagnosis of the common mental disorder increased during the course without exceeding the threshold for diagnosis

A proposição inicial do uso de camisinha como prevenção de HIV/aids está vinculada à noção de sexo seguro, desenvolvida pela comunidade gay estadunidense no início da década de 1980. No Brasil, o sexo seguro foi incorporado nas primeiras respostas à epidemia e, com o desenvolvimento das ações preventivas, a camisinha foi adotada como a principal estratégia de proteção contra a transmissão do HIV por via sexual. Atualmente, o segmento populacional composto por gays e outros homens que fazem sexo com homens (HSH) configura um dos focos de concentração da epidemia e, portanto, um dos públicos-chave para o direcionamento da prevenção. Este trabalho tem como objetivo recuperar os discursos acerca da camisinha como estratégia de prevenção de HIV/aids entre gays/HSH, construídos pela política pública de saúde e pelos movimentos sociais no Brasil, buscando compreender seus significados no contexto dos impasses enfrentados pela prevenção ao longo de sua história. O estudo é fundamentado nas abordagens construcionistas da sexualidade e utiliza como referências a perspectiva da vulnerabilidade e a teoria dos scripts sexuais. Trata-se de investigação qualitativa, realizada com base em entrevistas em profundidade com 13 pessoas que mantêm/mantiveram envolvimento significativo com o enfrentamento da epidemia de HIV/aids no país e/ou com a reflexão acerca das questões relativas à prevenção, especialmente no âmbito dos cenários sexuais gays/HSH. Foram selecionados atores de destaque no trabalho relacionado à promoção do uso da camisinha: condução de políticas públicas, produção de pesquisa e atuação em movimentos sociais LGBT e de aids. A partir das narrativas colhidas e de referências associadas, é apresentada uma recuperação histórica da trajetória da camisinha como prevenção de HIV/aids. A análise ressalta que a convergência dos discursos preventivos na recomendação da camisinha resvalou no tecnicismo, característico do processo de medicalização do social. O uso tecnicista da prevenção consistiu em (a) uma abordagem prescritiva, expressa na progressiva reprodução da mensagem \"use camisinha\"; (b) na descontextualização dos discursos preventivos em relação ao conteúdo sexual inerente ao uso da camisinha, contestada especialmente nas propostas de erotização desse insumo; (c) na postura impositiva de profissionais e campanhas de prevenção. Adicionalmente, a prevenção tem esbarrado nas dificuldades de abordagem do homoerotismo em função do fortalecimento de resistências moralistas e conservadoras na política brasileira. Esse cenário, que compromete os direitos de gays/HSH à saúde, é agravado por uma crise na estrutura dos programas de aids e das organizações dos movimentos sociais. Desse modo, o avanço no enfrentamento da epidemia e, mais especificamente, a redução das taxas de infecção em gays/HSH dependem da superação dessas barreiras, que tendem a se reproduzir na abordagem das novas tecnologias de prevenção em HIV/aids / The initial proposal for the use of condoms to prevent HIV/AIDS is linked to the concept of safe sex, developed by the gay community in the United States in the early 1980s. In Brazil, safe sex was incorporated in the early responses to the epidemic and, with the development of preventive actions, condom promotion was adopted as the main strategy to protect against HIV sexual transmission. Nowadays, the population segment composed of gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM) represents one of the focuses of the epidemic concentration and therefore one of the key populations for targeting prevention. This work aims to recover the discourses on the use of condoms as an HIV/AIDS prevention strategy directed to gay/MSM population, built by both Brazilian public health policy and social movements, seeking to understand their meaning in the context of the impasses faced by prevention throughout his history. This study is based on constructionist frameworks of sexuality and uses as references the vulnerability perspective and the theory of sexual scripts. This is a qualitative research, carried out based on in-depth interviews with 13 people who keep/kept significant roles in fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country and/or in the reflecting on issues related to prevention, especially in the scope of gay/MSM sexual scenarios. The selected participants are prominent actors in the work related to the promotion of condom use: driving public policy, producing research and acting in LGBT and AIDS social movements. From the collected narratives and associated references, a historical recovery of the trajectory of the condom as an HIV/AIDS prevention is presented. The analysis points out that the convergence of preventive discourses on recommendation of the condom slipped on the technicism, characteristic of the process of social medicalization. The technicist use of the prevention consisted of (a) a prescriptive approach, expressed in the forward playback of the message \"use condom\"; (b) the decontextualization of preventive discourses in relation to sexual content inherent in the use of condoms, especially contested in proposals of eroticizing this device; (c) the impositive posture of professionals and prevention campaigns. Additionally, prevention has bogged down in difficulties on the approach of homoeroticism due to the strengthening of moralist and conservative resistances in Brazilian policy. This scenario, which undermines the rights of gay/MSM to health, is exacerbated by a crisis in the structure of AIDS programs and organizations of social movements. Thus, the progress in confronting the epidemic and, more specifically, in the reduction of infection rates in gay/MSM depend on overcoming these barriers which tend to be reproduced in the approach to the new HIV/AIDS prevention technologies