Kouta Christiana
Background: Cultural, social policy and legal factors contribute to HIV vulnerability amongst ethnic minorities. Insufficient knowledge on HIV transmission and prevention contributes in engaging in risky sexual behaviours that increase the risk of infection. Aim: The aim of the present study was to explore the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions amongst immigrants, foreign students and foreign workers living in Cyprus on HIV/AIDS. Μethods and Material:. The sample consisted of 600 migrant from third countries from two cities in Cyprus (Nicosia, Limassol). Both men and women were included in the study sample. A closed-ended questionnaire referring to the knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of the participants in relation to HIV/AIDS was used.The analysis was performed using the SPSS version 16. Results: Out of the 600 participants, 21.4% reported that HIV/AIDS is transmitted while eating with an infected person and 6.8% reported that is not transmitted though sharing of injected needles. However, statistical significance was found between the level of education and the reasons/behaviour of not using a condom (p=0.000). 27.8% of the participants believe that the ‘they got they deserved’. Conclusion: The findings of the current study showed that participants lack substantial knowledge on issues related to HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections (STI’s) that may lead them to risky sexual behaviors. Further, the results also revealed that misconceptions exist among participants and this may reflect their cultural background; however it may affect their health and overall public health.
