Cent Eur J Public Health 2006, 14(2):59-66 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3373

"Condoms Are Reliable but I Am Not": A Qualitative Analysis of AIDS Related Beliefs and Attitudes of Young Heterosexual Adults in Budapest, Hungary, and St.Petersburg, Russia

Judit Takács1, Yuri A. Amirkhanian2,3, Jeffrey A. Kelly2, Anna V. Kirsanova3, Roman A. Khoursine3, László Mocsonaki4
1 Institute of Sociology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
2 Center for AIDS Intervention Research (CAIR), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.A.
3 Municipal Hospital #30 Named after S. P. Botkin, St. Petersburg, Russia
4 Gay and Lesbian Rights Organization "Hatter," Budapest, Hungary

HIV and STD prevention is an essential component of public health initiatives in countries throughout Central and Eastern Europe. Liberalization in sexual values, declining age at first sex, higher levels of sexual activity, and inconsistent condom use have been well-documented among young people in the region following the political, economic, and cultural transitions after the end of the state socialism era. Less well-understood are the reasons for high-risk sexual behavior and psychosocial factors that must be addressed in the development of effective HIV/STD prevention programs. This study recruited members of 12 high-risk social networks of young adult men and women (n= 66 participants) in two cities, St. Petersburg, Russia, and Budapest, Hungary. In-depth focus groups were conducted with all members of each network, and qualitatively analyzed to examine factors surrounding high-risk sexual behavior. Main themes that emerged were that STDs are less known and less feared than AIDS, HIV risk factors were relatively well known among young adults in both countries but vulnerability is perceived differently, pregnancy prevention is a more immediate concern than protection from HIV or STDs, condom use declines quickly following first sex with a new partner, reintroducing condom use in a relationship is very difficult, and young adults report many barriers to condom use including those related to alcohol or other substance use. HIV/STD prevention programs are needed that extend beyond risk education alone and that also address critical psychological, social, and relationship factors related to sexual risk behavior.

Keywords: HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), sexual risk behavior, condoms, Hungary, Russia

Received: November 11, 2005; Revised: March 2, 2006; Accepted: March 2, 2006; Published: June 1, 2006  Show citation

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Takács J, Amirkhanian YA, Kelly JA, Kirsanova AV, Khoursine RA, Mocsonaki L. "Condoms Are Reliable but I Am Not": A Qualitative Analysis of AIDS Related Beliefs and Attitudes of Young Heterosexual Adults in Budapest, Hungary, and St.Petersburg, Russia. Cent Eur J Public Health. 2006;14(2):59-66. doi: 10.21101/cejph.a3373. PubMed PMID: 16830606.
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