This study aimed at exploring the perceptions of teachers regarding HIV/AIDS in the Thohoyandou area. A survey design was employed to find out how teachers perceive HIV/AIDS. A group-administered questionnaire was used as a method of data collection. One Hundred and Fifty teachers were selected by using stratified random sampling technique. From each stratum the systematic random sampling method was used to select the sample. The respondents were selected from the population of teachers in the Thohoyandou, Thulamela area, in the Limpopo Province. HIV/AIDS in the workplace, with special emphasis on theoretical background, perceptions regarding HIV/AIDS and HIV/AIDS prevention strategies has been provided. Theoretical background covered what HIV/AIDS is, factors promoting the AIDS epidemic, HIV/AIDS in the workplace and psychosocial impact of HIV/AIDS on employees. Perceptions regarding HIV/AIDS covered voluntary counseling and testing and issues around working with someone who is HIV positive. HIV/AIDS prevention strategies focused on prevention and wellness programme, abstinence from sex, being faithful to one sexual partner, condom usage, managing STI and HIV/AIDS in the workplace. The research findings were presented graphically and discussed. It was found that teachers perceive HIV/AIDS as a reality and they also know the ways to prevent it, although most of them do not utilize those methods. Generally, teachers in Thohoyandou area are still at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. The conclusion and recommendations derived from the study are provided lastly. / Dissertation (MSoc.Sci (EAP))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

Denna studie undersökte kvinnors upplevelser när de fick ett HPV-positivt screeningresultat brevledes. Den svenska screeningen för förebyggande av livmoderhalscancer meddelar resultatet i ett kort, standardiserat brev. Efter att ha inkluderat humant papillomvirus (HPV) i analysen år 2014 verkade kvinnor bli mer oroliga för resultatet som kunde meddela en sexuellt överförd infektion (STI).En intervjustudie genomfördes med åtta kvinnor och empiriska data analyserades med receptionsteori. Resultaten visade vilka känslor kvinnor kämpade med, om de upplevde en negativ inverkan på deras sexualitet och om de var nöjda med ett brev som kommunikationssätt.Okunnighet om HPV och rädsla för cancer var centrala resultat. Kvinnor beskrev till och med en förändring i attityd till andra sexuella praktiker än vaginalt samlag. Resultatbrevet ansågs vara för kort och inte så informativt som nödvändigt. Detta fick samtliga kvinnor att söka efter mer information främst på internet för att hitta svar på deras frågor.Sammanfattningsvis finns det ett behov av grundlig och strukturerad information relaterad till HPV och påverkan på livmoderhalsen. Personal inom hälso- och sjukvårdssystemet bör vara lyhörda för kvinnors oro över deras screeningresultat. / This study explores women´s experiences when receiving their HPV-positive pap smear result as a letter. The Swedish screening programme for the prevention of cervical cancer notifies of the result in a short, standardised letter. After including human papilloma virus (HPV) in the analysis in 2014 women appeared to become more worried about the result showing a sexually transmitted infection (STI). An interview study was performed with eight women and the empirical data was analysed with reception theory. The study-results show which feelings women struggled with, whether they experienced a negative impact on their sexuality, and whether they were content with a letter as communication method for their results. Ignorance of HPV and fear of cancer were central findings. Women even described a change in attitude towards sexual practices other than vaginal intercourse. The result letter was considered to be too short and not as informative as needed. This caused all the women to look for more information foremost on the internet in order to find answers to their questions.In conclusion there is a need for thorough and structured information related to HPV and impact on the cervix. Healthcare system personnel should have a sensitive ear for women´s concerns about their pap smear results.

Denna uppsats består av en litteraturöversikt och två kvantitativa studier om män och transpersoner som säljer sexuella tjänster till andra män.Den första delen presenterar forskning om män som säljer sexuella tjänster till män i allmänhet och kring behovet av förebyggande åtgärder mot hiv och STI i synnerhet. Del två är en analys av män som säljer sexuella tjänster och deras inställning och praxis när det gäller säkrare sex. Analysen bygger på material från MSM (Män som har sex med män) enkäten som genomfördes 2006. Denna studie visar att män som säljer sex har betydligt högre risk-beteende än andra män som har sex med män. Detta visar på behovet av hiv-prevention i den grupp av män som säljer sexuella tjänster. Del tre av denna studie utgörs av en deskriptiv internetundersökning som gjorts bland män och transpersoner som säljer sexuella tjänster på internet. Bakgrunden till denna studie är att svenska officiella dokument många gånger reproducerar föreställningen om att män som säljer sex är osynliga, och att det saknas kunskap i ämnet. Denna studie visar att så inte är fallet. Studien visar att annonser är synliga och att det är möjligt att hitta män som erbjuder sina tjänster relativt lätt. Detta dokument innehåller också en deskriptiv studie om geografiskt ursprung, ålder, sexuell läggning, tillgängliga tjänster, säkrare sex och marknadsföring gällande män och transpersoner som säljer sexuella tjänster på internet. / This paper consists of one research review and two quantitative studies about men and transgender persons who sell sexual services to other men.The first part presents research about men who sell sexual services to men in general, and around the need for prevention against hiv and STIs in particular. Part two is an analysis of men who sell sexual services and their attitude and practice regarding safer sex. The analysis is based on material from the MSM (Men who have sex with Men) survey conducted in 2006. This study shows that Men who sell sex have significantly higher risk-behavior than other men who have sex with men. This indicates the need for HIV prevention in the group of men who sell sexual services.Part two of this study consists a descriptive internet survey made among men and transgender people who sell sexual services on the internet. The background for this study is that Swedish official documents repeatedly reproduce the notion that men who sell sex are invisible, and that there is no knowledge of the subject. This study shows that this is not the case. The study shows that advertising is visible and that it is possible to find people who offer their services relatively easily. This paper also includes a descriptive study about the geographic origin, age, sexual orientation, available services, safer sex, and marketing area of men and transgender personswho sell sexual services on the Internet.

No description available.

Contexte : La surveillance de la charge virale (CV) et les dépistages des infections sexuellement transmissibles et par le sang (ITSS) sont indispensables à la prise en charge du VIH. L’utilisation de ces soins pendant la pandémie de la Covid-19 au Québec reste largement inconnue. Objectif : Mesurer et comparer les taux de surveillance de la CV et des dépistages des ITSS en période pré et per-pandémique chez les personnes vivant avec le VIH (PVVIH) à Montréal. Méthodes : Dans une étude de cohorte avec devis pré-post, 1702 PVVIH ont été retenues. Des modèles de régression de Poisson avec effet aléatoire sur l'individu ont estimé les taux, les ratios de taux d'incidence (IRR), leurs intervalles de confiance à 95 % (IC95%) ainsi que des termes d’interaction entre la variable de la période et les covariables. Résultats : La période pré-pandémique était associée à une diminution du taux de surveillance de la CV (IRR=0,58, IC95% 0,55-0,60) et du taux de dépistage des ITSS (IRR=0,65, IC95% 0,62-0,68). La diminution de la surveillance de la CV pendant la période per-pandémique était plus importante avec l’utilisation de drogues par injection, une augmentation de la distance et une CV détectable au début de l’étude. La diminution de dépistage des ITSS était plus importante avec une augmentation d’âge et de la distance. La suppression virologique et les pourcentages de positivité des ITSS sont demeurés constants au cours des périodes. Les taux d'incidence des ITSS ont diminué en période per-pandémique. Conclusion : Une diminution du suivi a été observée en période per-pandémique. Nos résultats suggèrent que ces réductions n'ont pas eu d'impact sur la suppression virologique ou l’incidence des ITSS. / Context: Routine viral load (VL) monitoring and sexually transmitted infections (STI) screenings are integral parts of HIV care. In Québec, the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on accessibility to care and resulting inequalities remain widely unknown. Objective: We aimed to measure and compare rates of VL monitoring and STI screenings before and during the COVID-19 pandemic amongst people living with HIV (PLWHIV) in Montréal. Methods: A cohort study with pre-post design followed 1702 PLWHIV. Poisson regression models with individual clustering were used to estimate testing rates, incidence rate ratios (IRR), their 95 % confidence intervals (95%CI) and interaction terms between the period variable and other covariates. Results: The per-pandemic period was associated with a decrease in VL monitoring (IRR=0.58, 95%CI 0.55-0.60) and STI screening (IRR=0.65, 95%CI 0.62-0.68). The per-pandemic period intensified VL monitoring gaps with intravenous drug use, distance from the testing center and a detectable VL at the beginning of the study. STI screening gaps were amplified during the per-pandemic period by an increase in age and in distance. VL suppression and STI positivity percentages remained unchanged while STI incidence rates decreased. Conclusion: A significant decline in VL monitoring and STI screening was observed during the per-pandemic period. Our findings suggest that these reductions had no impact on the virological suppression or STI incidence in PLWHIV.

Thèse numérisée par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Speech intelligibility of voice alarm communication systems is extremely important for proper notification and direction of building occupants. Currently, there is no minimum standard to which all voice alarm communication systems must be held. Tests were conducted to determine how system and room characteristics, and the addition of occupants, affect the intelligibility of a voice signal. This research outlines a methodology for measuring the speech intelligibility of a room and describes the impact of numerous variables on these measurements. Eight variables were considered for this study: speaker quantity and location, speaker power tap, sound pressure level (SPL), number and location of occupants, presence of furniture, location of intelligibility measurements, data collection method, and floor covering. All room characteristics had some affect on the room intelligibility; the sound pressure level of the signal and the number and location of occupants had the greatest overall impact on the intelligibility of the room. It is recommended, based on the results of this study, that further investigation be conducted in the following areas: floor finishes, speaker directivity, various population densities, furniture packages and room sizes.

Améliorer la sécurité routière passe par une meilleure compréhension des causes d'accidents. Il est nécessaire de développer des observatoires discrets pour étudier la manière de conduire de tous les automobilistes. Une partie de cette analyse implique l'utilisation de capteurs mesurant les trajectoires des véhicules sur une portion de route. Deux capteurs innovants ont été crées pour pallier au manque de capteurs suffisamment précis : le premier est un capteur à fibres optiques présentant une succession de réseaux de Bragg et le second, protégé par un brevet, est fondé sur une technologie résistive. Ils ont été soumis à une expérimentation sur une route départementale. Le capteur optique s'avère performant mais coûteux. Le deuxième n'est pas assez robuste mais présente des perspectives intéressantes.

Despite the current preventive strategies sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are rising. This thesis presents a model with the aim of improving the prevention of STIs. Chlamydia being the most common STI in Sweden serves as a model infection. The presented model is based on five performed studies. First we evaluated the feasibility of taking a urine sample at home and sending it with mail for Chlamydia analysis. Postal screening was thereafter analyzed for cost effectiveness estimating the cost per prevented sequel and the prevalence threshold. A population based study of all the 22-year old men in Umeå tested the feasibility of the Internet as a tool in facilitating Chlamydia testing and also attempted to engage men who often have low participation in Chlamydia screening programs. A questionnaire to all 18-year old youths in four northern Swedish cities was analysed concerning condom use. Finally, ordering home a Chlamydia test from the Internet was tested as method for self-selective screening. The studies showed that it was both feasible and acceptable by the population to send in urine samples with mail for Chlamydia analysis. Large-scale postal screening would be cost-effective in a female population if the C. trachomatis prevalence exceeds 5% and cost effective in a male population if the C. trachomatis prevalence exceeds 12.3%. Using the Internet as a tool in Chlamydia testing proved feasible and almost 38% of all the 22-year old men in Umeå participated. Condom usage being the most important STI preventive measure during a sexual intercourse proved to be dependent on more male factors than female factors, where the use of oral contraceptives was the strongest factor associated with non-condom use. Ordering a test on the Internet proved to be a feasible self-selective screening method. Condom use should continuously be promoted to sexually active people especially if oral contraception is used. Success and cost effectiveness in controlling STI transmission is likely to depend on achieving consistent and regular coverage of testing and partner notification among both women and men. The suggested model uses the Internet as a tool in communicating preventive STI information and allowing a self-selective screening, which may be used as an adjunct to regular recruitment in striving for improving the STI prevention. Key words: STI, prevention, Chlamydia, postal screening, cost effective, condom, Internet, self-selective screening.