Young adults and HIV. Awareness and risk behaviour of a group living in Spain

Sexual intercourse is currently the main route of HIV infection in Spain. Despite decreases in new infections among women and drug users, the rate remains stable in men. The aim of this study was to assess risk behaviour and HIV awareness in a sample of young adults in Spain.

A cross-sectional, observational, descriptive study was performed on a non-HIV infected sample, using a questionnaire on sexual health and HIV awareness adapted from the Spanish National Institute of Statistics. A sexual risk variable was included (high and low), which was classified as high if subjects had had three or more sexual partners and did not always use a condom in all their sexual encounters.

243 subjects were included (65.6% women) aged between 16 and 36 years (mean = 25.7; SD = 4.1) (16–24 years: 134 subjects; 25–29 years: 60 subjects; over 30 years: 47 subjects). Approximately 40.9% said that they used a condom in all sexual relations and 61% did not perceive any risk of infection. There were no significant differences in awareness of infection routes between the high and low risk profiles. Washing after sex, having few partners, spermicide use and having undetectable viral load were protective measures significantly associated with differences in sexual risk (p < 0.05).

The main finding of the study was the underestimation of risk of infection, analysed after differences found between self-assessment and sexual risk. Both positive and negative results were found concerning HIV awareness.