Representações sociais do SIDA: relações entre as representações sociais e o comportamento sexual

Abstract

The aim of this work is to analyze the relationship between the social representations of AIDS and the sexual behavior of young students at Escola Secundária de Nhamatanda. In a world in constant change, conceptions and opinions about the HIV/AIDS phenomenon are relevant, as the representations give rise to different attitudes. Through the methodology of interviews, it is possible to arrive at social representations of any phenomenon - the methodology we use for the work. This work starts from the verification of the existence of a lot of information about ways to prevent and contract the HIV/AIDS virus and the persistence of high-risk sexual behavior. It was from this observation that we asked ourselves: “Why is high-risk sexual behavior prevalent given the existence of so much information about HIV/AIDS prevention?” The results of the analysis of this study allowed us to conclude that the social representation of AIDS is structured around cognitions linked to prevention, that is, linked to the messages of HIV/AIDS prevention campaigns, revealing a contradiction between the contents of knowledge and the sexual practices or behavior reported by young people. Therefore, social representations of AIDS are behind the persistence of high-risk sexual behavior among young students at Nhamatanda Secondary School. The “confident indifference” and “eternal love love” are two categorizations that prevent young people from acting on the information they say they believe.