Abstract

LOZANO GONZALEZ, Aldo Favio; TORRES LOPEZ, Teresa Margarita  and  ARANDA BELTRAN, Carolina. Cultural conceptions about HIV/AIDS in adolescent students at the University of Guadalajara, México. Rev.latinoam.cienc.soc.niñez juv [online]. 2008, vol.6, n.2, pp.739-768. ISSN 1692-715X.

The purpose of this study was to explore the cultural dimensions of HIV/AIDS in adolescent students at the University of Guadalajara, Mexico, in order to identify some elements for the development of prevention programs. It was a transversal exploratory study. The sample had 73 subjects, selected through purposeful sampling in the campus of a technical school at the Guadalajara. Semi-structured interviews were administered with the techniques of free listing and card-pile sorting. The questions tried to capture terms associated to the concept of HIV/AIDS and groups of conceptual dimensions. Consensus analysis was carried out via principal-component factoring, and dimensional analysis via hierarchical clustering and multidimensional scaling. The main results show that there is abundant descriptive information around the malady due to HIV transmission: that it is produced by a virus, that it is mortal, and incurable. The first cultural dimension that were found in this population around the topic of HIV/AIDS were: first, elements hinting at an unavoidable fatalism and to the feelings derived from it; second, a dimension including biological concepts, and third, a dimension including sexual questions and moral attributions with respect to sexual practices. The cultural dimensions found in this study should be considered in the design and promotion of future prevention campaigns addressed to youths about HIV/AIDS. Those campaigns should emphasize activities of specific prevention, like the use of condoms, and their content should be free of moralistic elements.

Keywords : Adolescence; HIV/AIDS; cultural conceptions; stigma.

        · abstract in Spanish | Portuguese     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )