Risks of infection with the HIV: Sociological assessment
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a complex socially significant disease associated with risks mainly for representatives of groups practicing deviant behavior and requiring special attention from the state and society. The article presents a comprehensive description of representatives of t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University)
2024-10-01
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| Series: | RUDN journal of Sociology |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.rudn.ru/sociology/article/viewFile/41174/23949 |
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| author | I. B. Nazarova R. S. Nesterov |
| author_facet | I. B. Nazarova R. S. Nesterov |
| author_sort | I. B. Nazarova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a complex socially significant disease associated with risks mainly for representatives of groups practicing deviant behavior and requiring special attention from the state and society. The article presents a comprehensive description of representatives of the high-risk group for the HIV infection, including their health status, behavioral characteristics, types, combinations and perceptions of risks, which would allow for a more optimal organization of the work of social and medical services with this group. The article is based on the results of the empirical study conducted in 2022: 3,792 clients of the charitable foundation “Support for Social Initiatives and Public Health” were questioned within the HIV preventive work with representatives of high-risk groups. A significant part of clients are people under 22 years of age (25 %). Their main risks were divided into condition risks and behavioral risks. Condition risks are as follows: current and past illness (29 % were diagnosed with an infection or several ones, including the HIV), unemployment (21 %), difficult financial situation (9 %); and for foreign citizens also lack of citizenship (24 %) and not speaking Russian (5 %). Behavioral risks (actions leading to loss of health or inaction in health protection) are as follows: 15 % of clients use drugs (including with shared equipment for injecting), the majority (76 %) consciously agree to unprotected sex and have multiple sexual partners (the average number is 21 per year). In general, representatives of high-risk groups tend to underestimate their risks, and awareness is not a decisive positive factor, i.e., it does not necessarily change behavior to less risky. Moreover, long-term risk practices together with knowledge of risks and protective measures can negatively affect perceptions of risks; thus, clients with experience of risk behavior consider risks as less dangerous or deny risks in principle, which is an additional risk for both the person and one’s partners. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8b90c1675f634ae68db03fd1efbf08e2 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2313-2272 2408-8897 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | RUDN journal of Sociology |
| spelling | doaj-art-8b90c1675f634ae68db03fd1efbf08e22025-08-20T02:09:26ZengPeoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University)RUDN journal of Sociology2313-22722408-88972024-10-0124364565910.22363/2313-2272-2024-24-3-645-65921203Risks of infection with the HIV: Sociological assessmentI. B. Nazarova0R. S. Nesterov1RUDN UniversityRUDN UniversityThe human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a complex socially significant disease associated with risks mainly for representatives of groups practicing deviant behavior and requiring special attention from the state and society. The article presents a comprehensive description of representatives of the high-risk group for the HIV infection, including their health status, behavioral characteristics, types, combinations and perceptions of risks, which would allow for a more optimal organization of the work of social and medical services with this group. The article is based on the results of the empirical study conducted in 2022: 3,792 clients of the charitable foundation “Support for Social Initiatives and Public Health” were questioned within the HIV preventive work with representatives of high-risk groups. A significant part of clients are people under 22 years of age (25 %). Their main risks were divided into condition risks and behavioral risks. Condition risks are as follows: current and past illness (29 % were diagnosed with an infection or several ones, including the HIV), unemployment (21 %), difficult financial situation (9 %); and for foreign citizens also lack of citizenship (24 %) and not speaking Russian (5 %). Behavioral risks (actions leading to loss of health or inaction in health protection) are as follows: 15 % of clients use drugs (including with shared equipment for injecting), the majority (76 %) consciously agree to unprotected sex and have multiple sexual partners (the average number is 21 per year). In general, representatives of high-risk groups tend to underestimate their risks, and awareness is not a decisive positive factor, i.e., it does not necessarily change behavior to less risky. Moreover, long-term risk practices together with knowledge of risks and protective measures can negatively affect perceptions of risks; thus, clients with experience of risk behavior consider risks as less dangerous or deny risks in principle, which is an additional risk for both the person and one’s partners.https://journals.rudn.ru/sociology/article/viewFile/41174/23949riskrisk behaviorawarenesshealthhivnon-profit organization (npo)risk groupssociological survey |
| spellingShingle | I. B. Nazarova R. S. Nesterov Risks of infection with the HIV: Sociological assessment RUDN journal of Sociology risk risk behavior awareness health hiv non-profit organization (npo) risk groups sociological survey |
| title | Risks of infection with the HIV: Sociological assessment |
| title_full | Risks of infection with the HIV: Sociological assessment |
| title_fullStr | Risks of infection with the HIV: Sociological assessment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Risks of infection with the HIV: Sociological assessment |
| title_short | Risks of infection with the HIV: Sociological assessment |
| title_sort | risks of infection with the hiv sociological assessment |
| topic | risk risk behavior awareness health hiv non-profit organization (npo) risk groups sociological survey |
| url | https://journals.rudn.ru/sociology/article/viewFile/41174/23949 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ibnazarova risksofinfectionwiththehivsociologicalassessment AT rsnesterov risksofinfectionwiththehivsociologicalassessment |