Perceived risk and decisional balance to HIV testing in men who have sex with men from Monterrey, Mexico. / Riesgo percibido y balance decisional hacia la prueba del VIH en hombres que tienen sexo con hombres de Monterrey, México.

The perceived risk to HIV and the decisional balance (pros and cons) towards HIV testing are fundamental aspects for understanding the motivation of men who have sex with men to engage in behaviours that reduce or increase the risk of infection with the virus. OBJECTIVES: To describe the perceived risk of HIV and the decisional balance towards HIV testing and determine the association between perceived risk and the decisional balance towards HIV testing of men who have sex with men. METHOD: Descriptive correlational design, we used respondent-driven sampling, with which we recruited 202 men who have sex with men. RESULTS: Mean age of 27.79 (SD=8.13), 66.3% reported low perceived risk to HIV. The most significant pros were: "If I had HIV I would not want to infect anyone else" (95%) and "I would like to be sure I did not have HIV to tell my sexual partner" (90.6%). The most significant cons were: "I am afraid of the needle used for the HIV test" (53%), "people could reject me if they had HIV" (78.7%). Finally, there was a correlation between the perceived risk and the decisional balance towards HIV testing (rs=.759, p<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Given such data, in future interventions it is important to consider information about the importance of HIV testing on a regular basis, as well as actions to increase the perception of vulnerability to HIV in this population.

Aconselhamento em hiv/aids: representações dosprofissionais que atuam na atenção primária à saúde / Asesoramiento en vih/sida: representaciones de los profesionales que trabajan en atenci on basica de la salud / Hiv/aids counselling: representations of primary health care professionals

O objetivo com este estudo foi analisar representações de profissionais que atuam na atenção primária sobreaconselhamento em HIV/aids. Trata-se de pesquisa de natureza qualitativa, fundamentada em noções dasRepresentações, segundo Giami. Foram realizadas entrevistas abertas, gravadas em áudio, com sete enfermeiros ecinco médicos de centros de saúde do município de Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, atuantes em equipes de saúde dafamília. O número final de participantes se deu por repetição de conteúdos das entrevistas. Para a análise dos dados,utilizou-se o método da análise estrutural de narração. Os resultados mostraram representações de reconhecimento daimportância do aconselhamento em HIV/aids como ferramenta no cuidado, mas com distanciamento entre o cotidianodo trabalho e o que é preconizado pelo Ministério da Saúde para essa prática. Representações em torno da prevençãoem HIV/aids e do processo de trabalho em unidade básica contribuem para essa distância. Os profissionais de saúdeentrevistados relatam posturas na prática cotidiana...

The objective of this study was to analyse the representations of primary health care professionals on HIV/aidscounselling. It is a qualitative research based on Giami’s Theory of Social Representations. Open interviews withseven nurses and five doctors working in family health teams in the municipality of Belo Horizonte, Minas Geraiswere conducted and audio-recorded. The final number of participants made up for the repetition of information inthe interviews. Structural analysis of narrative was used for data analysis. The results revealed representations thatrecognize HIV/aids counselling as a valuable aid for patient care. However, there is a gap between everyday work andthe Ministry of Health recommendations for the practice. Representations on HIV/aids prevention and unit’s workprocess contribute to the disparity. As reported by the health professionals interviewed, their daily counselling practiceis supported by both science and common sense which transform counselling activity in the least of their prioritiesand the less important among the many actions performed...

El objetivo del presente estudio fue analizar las representaciones de profesionales que actúan en la atención básicaasesorando sobre el VIH/Sida. La investigación es cualitativa y se basa en nociones de las Representaciones, de acuerdocon Giami. Se realizaron entrevistas grabadas a siete enfermeros y cinco médicos de equipos de salud de la familiade centros de atención del municipio de Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. El número final de participantes resultó de larepetición de los contenidos de las entrevistas. Los datos se analizaron según el análisis estructural de la narración. Losresultados enseñaron representaciones de reconocimiento de la importancia del asesoramiento como herramienta enel cuidado. Sin embargo, hay una brecha entre el trabajo cotidiano y las recomendaciones del Ministerio de la Salud. Lasrepresentaciones sobre la prevención del VIH/Sida y el proceso de trabajo en unidades básicas de atención contribuyena esta situación. Los profesionales de salud entrevistados relatan posturas en la práctica cotidiana de asesoramientoen base a la ciencia y al sentido común que...