A Comparative Analysis On Knowledge,Behaviors And Infection Status Of The HIV Among Elderly And Young Men Attending The Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinics

Objective: To investigate the demographic characteristics, HIV/AIDS related knowledge, prevalence of high-risk behavior, available services involved in AIDS behavioral intervention, infection status of AIDS, syphilis and hepatitis C and the influencing factors among young men and older men at a Sexually Transmitted Disease(STD) clinic in Wuhu city to provide a basis for strategies of prevention and control of AIDS and venereal diseases.Methods: The questionnaire of National AIDS Sentinel Surveillance Program was used to collect the information on HIV/AIDS related knowledge and sexual behaviors in males over the age of 15 sought therapy at the STD clinic from April to June during 2010 to 2014 in a general hospital of Wuhu City. The blood of the subjects’ were obtained for screening the HIV/AIDS, syphilis and hepatitis C. Comparative analysis was used among young and elderly subjects.Results: 2093 male cases attending STD clinics were surveyed in five years, mainly were married, with an average age of 39, accounted for 95.75% of provincial census register, the Han nationality accounts for 99.57%. Proportion of elderly male attending STD clinics was 20.40%, and has increased year by year; 58.82% of the subjects had HIV/AIDS related knowledge, failed to the requirements of no less than 90%. The major problem was associated with less knowledge on the routes of non-transmission of AIDS. Elderly subjects AIDS awareness is lower than adult subjects. Respondents who have sex with FSW(female sex worker),casual partners and MSM(men have sex with men)in the last three months were observed in the proportion is 20.97%, 23.89% and 20.97% respectively. Older subjects had the same high risk behaviors as adult subjects.34.26% of the subjects were diagnosed infection with the sexually transmitted diseases within the last year, only 20.54% of the subjects received intervention services on HIV prevention or blood test, 2.29% of them received peer education services within the last year. In the 2093 blood samples detected, HIV infection represented in 1.62%, syphilis infection in 25.13% and hepatitis C infection in 0.48%. Older subjects’ infection rate are nearly equal to young adults, the risk factors of HIV infection of them are all in a single state and have sex with men. The syphilis infection rate and cumulative infection rate were higher in the older subjects than young adults, the risk factor is have sex with FSW within last three months.Conclusion: Older male attending STD clinics had the same risk behaviors as adult male, and their HIV/AIDS related knowledge is low, had high risk of HIV infection and STDs. AIDS surveillance should carry out actively, to expand the breadth and depth of HIV/AIDS blood test, strengthen the education, counseling and intervention to reduce their risk behaviors and had the AIDS/STD prevalence under control.