Uso de preservativos como método de prevenção entre mulheres que fazem sexo com mulheres a IST/HIV

Abstract

Introduction: Female homosexual sexual practices were silenced and made invisible, especially during and after the AIDS epidemic. The understanding that the population of women who have sex with women (MSM) was less vulnerable to infection through sexual intercourse led to lesbian and bisexual women having an absent perception regarding the use of condoms as a method of protection against HIV/AIDS. Objective: Analyze the perception of condoms as a method of prevention against HIV/AIDS. Methodology: This is an exploratory and descriptive survey study with a cross- sectional design and quantitative approach. Conducted in the city of Recife, the data collection initially came from the Specialized HIV/AIDS Assistance Service located at the Oswaldo Cruz Hospital. The research was conducted between May and December 2021 and the target population consisted of women who reported having sex with women and with both women and men. The explicit data were collected and then tabulated in Excel software, where descriptive analysis and graphs were created. Results: 96.19% of the interviewees responded that they had knowledge of how HIV can be transmitted, 56.19% stated that they took measures to prevent HIV/AIDS, but only 30 (41.09%) responded that they used condoms. Regarding their relationship experiences throughout life, 47.61% responded that their relationships were only fixed and currently 74.28% have a fixed partner. Discussion: The study revealed that despite their knowledge, the perception of the absence of risk leads most of the interviewees to not carry out adequate prevention practices. The lack of perception of the risks that MSM have of HIV/AIDS infection occurs due to the certainty of not being infected in sexual relations between women, causing greater confidence and the belief that condoms are less necessary for protection. It was also shown that the reduction in condom use can be explained in part by the types of partnerships and that people with steady partners are those who use condoms the least. Final considerations: Thus, the main factors that influence the increased vulnerability of MSM to HIV/AIDS infection include the belief in low vulnerability, the lack of information about possible means of prevention and the absence of educational actions aimed at the lesbian and bisexual public. Therefore, it is crucial that there is specific attention to the needs of women who have sex with women, in order to increase levels of access to sexual protection and care.