Study Of HIV Positive Cases Attending Voluntary Counseling and Testing Centre of Baroda – A Gender Perspective

Abstract

The global estimates of HIV/AIDS cases and especially the growing number of women and children being infected and affected by it, raises serious concern. In the absence of a vaccine or cure for HIV infection, our only option is to promote awareness and behaviour change for primary prevention of HIV. Aims: 1. To study the socio-demographic characteristic of HIV positive cases. 2. To find out the possible high risk behaviour of having acquired HIV/AIDS and 3. To understand the social support system and gender discrimination. Settings & Design: It is a Cross Sectional Study conducted in VCTC – Baroda. Methods and Material: A semi structured and pretested proforma is used to interview HIV positive patients attending VCTC located at Sayaji Hospital, Vadodara.  Prior verbal and written consent was taken before starting each interview. This study included 100 HIV positive cases (>13 years) attending VCTC during April-July 2007. Results: The present study included 100 individuals with equal ratio of male and female, 79% were in age group 20-40 years, 92% were literate and 87% were married. In 45 % cases, spouse was HIV positive while 38 % cases didn’t know the HIV status of their spouse. More males presented with history of premarital sex (83 %), extramarital sex (64 %), multiple sex partners (84 %) and sexual activity (76 %) even after HIV infection. More number of females experienced careless behaviour/neglect (65 %) after HIV status disclosure to their spouse while 71 % females experienced careless behaviour from their family. Conclusions: More males were presented with premarital, extramarital sex and multiple sex partners and females were more vulnerable because of male dominance and their economic dependency on others.