Marseille 2007
| Abstract #185 - Different experiences of the body and sexuality among adolescents living with HIV/aids | ||||
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Session: 30.1: Sex and sexuality (Parallel) on Tuesday @ 11.00-12.30 in CP Chaired by Peter Weatherburn, Linda Pride Authors: Presenting Author: Prof Mylne Fernet - Universit du Qubec Montral, Canada |
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| Additional Authors: Ms Marie-Eve Richard, Ms Karne Proulx-Boucher, Prof Joanne Otis, Prof Joseph Josy Lvy, Ms Johanne Samson, Dr Normand Lapointe, Prof Jocelyne Thriault, Prof Germain Trottier, Ms Marie-Hlne Garceau-Brodeur, | ||||
| Aim: Youth living with HIV since birth are a unique group, besides dealing with the stakes linked to adolescence among whom the physical changes and sexual preoccupations, they have to deal with a disease still lethal and sexually transmitted. It then becomes important to explore the various meanings which these adolescents give to their body and their sexuality. | ||||
| Method / Issue: As part of a qualitative research, 29 young Africans, Haitians and Quebecers participated in individual semi-strutured interviews. These youths, aged between 10 and 18 years-old have their follow-up at the Mother and Child University Hospital Center of Sainte Justines Hospital in Montreal. Interviews included the meanings accorded to HIV in the various spheres of life, such as concerning the body, sexuality and preventive stakes. The data were analyzed according to the procedures of the anchored theorization. | ||||
| Results / Comments: Like teenagers of the general population, the youths living with HIV are preoccupied by the physical changes they undergo. Their body, in full transformation, now lets show secondary sexual characters, pleasing several boys. On the other hand, some of them, especially girls, describe their body as being imperfect and would like to modify some parts of it. What seems specific of a majority of the adolescents we interviewed in this study context is the major preoccupation they give to the fact of having a normal body, same as their group of peers. The normal body is described as a body which doesnt let see any visible sign of disease. It distinguish itself from the sick body which testifies of HIV by its thinness. Several youths will indicate that they respect their medication to avoid having a sick body. Finally, some participants speak about their body as being contagious. They then feel the responsibility to protect, especially in their love relations. On this matter, for the most part of adolescents we met, the ways of HIV transmission are well known and the majority consider condom to be the most effective protection strategy against HIV/aids. Among those who are sexually active, the use of condoms seems well integrated into their sexual practices and some strategies are then put into place to negociate its use with the love partner. | ||||
| Discussion: These observations invite to think about the particular passage which marks the trajectory of the teenagers living with HIV since birth, and on the means to set up to accompany them better in their progress. | ||||
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