Mott L; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 1998; 12: 225 (abstract no. 106/14215).
ISSUE: The Afro-Brazilian religions present two principal areas of risk of HIV infection: the liberality of their sexual morality and the practice of ritual tattooing with the use of a shared blade. PROJECT: In the state of Bahia, Brazil, the descendants of Africans represent 80% of the population (8 million). In the capital, Salvador, there are more than 2000 temples of the followers of the cult of the Orixas (deities), where a large number of priests and the faithful are homosexual and where the practice of collective scarring rituals with a single shared blade can be observed. A study carried out in 500 houses (yle) belonging to the cult demonstrated that 96% of the priests and priestesses identify blood, sexual secretions and the use of sharp or cutting objects as the principal means of HIV transmission, and 44% of them knew someone close who had died of AIDS. The study also revealed the willingness of the Afro-Brazilian religious leaders to actively participate in HIV and STD prevention, replacing the shared blade for individual disposable blades, turning the temple into a place where educational material and condoms are distributed. RESULTS: Currently 50 leaders are being prepared to turn the houses of this cult (which is socially the most influential) into HIV and STD prevention centres. 30% of the religious heads have already substituted the shared blade with the use of individual disposable blades. LESSONS LEARNED: Using pictures, messages and leaders of the Afro-Brazilian community itself, STD and HIV prevention has become much more effective, with the passing on of information to the community leaders on how to keep the prevention programme going on their own with the available public resources.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Brazil
- Condoms
- Counseling
- Demography
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- Humans
- Population
- Religion
- education
Other ID:
UI: 102228082
From Meeting Abstracts