Comportamiento sexual de los estudiantes universitarios valencianos de 17 a 20 años : fundamentos y análisis comparativo-experimental.

Pretende recoger las actitudes y comportamiento sexualizado de una etapa evolutiva concreta, de los 17 a 20 años, de los universitarios valencianos en 1975 y su comparación con otra muestra similar realizada en 1970. Elegida al azar y representativa está compuesta por un total de 336 estudiantes de la Universidad de Valencia, 201 varones y 135 mujeres, durante el año 1975. Aplicación de un cuestionario en el que se analizan los siguientes factores: maduración fisiológica, educación sexual, maduración psicosexual, fantasías sexuales, preferencias en los contactos sexuales, experiencias sexuales, autoestimulación y ethos sexual. Se toma en cuenta la variable sexo. Comparación de estos resultados con los datos obtenidos por Benavent Oltra en otro estudio similar en el año 1970, que medía los mismos factores. Cuestionario. Análisis comparativo. Análisis descriptivo. En 1975 el comportamiento sexual de los universitarios es más amplio, debido a los factores de cambio social. La maduración fisiológica se produce a las mismas edades y aunque en 1975 la educación sexual sigue siendo altamente represiva, las actitudes del joven son diferentes. El amor espiritual es más importante que el carnal para un 49 por ciento de los universitarios del 1970, mientras que el joven de 1975, un 59 por ciento, da igual valor a ambos. Las preferencias en contactos heterosexuales no han variado, excepto que mientras que en 1970 el 57 por ciento considera que el baile es un vehículo de satisfacción sexual en 1975 se reduce a un 35 por ciento. Mientras que en 1970 el nivel de experiencias sexuales es escasa y algo menos en las mujeres, en 1975 se duplica. En 1970 casi la mitad son inexpertos, mientras que en 1975 se reduce al 25 por ciento. La opinión positiva sobre el coito premarital crece en este tiempo en un 31 por ciento. En autoestimulación no existen grandes diferencias, aunque el varón se estimule siempre más. En 1975 los jóvenes están más abiertos a las relaciones sexuales prematrimoniales. En 1970 la virginidad era importante para un 63 por ciento de las mujeres y un 39 por ciento de los varones. Ofrece un nuevo cuestionario sobre el comportamiento sexual más acorde con el contexto.

Síndrome de burnout em professores universitários

A presente investigação teve como objetivo conhecer a Síndrome de Burnout em Professores do Ensino Superior, bem como identificar qual a influência das variáveis sociodemográficas, situacionais e de interação social, como sendo determinantes do fenómeno de Burnout relativamente às suas três dimensões, no modelo proposto por Maslach. Foram preenchidos 127 questionários, distribuídos por várias faculdades a nível nacional, tendo sido utilizado para este estudo o inventário de Burnout de Maslach (Maslach Burnout Inventory - MBI). Destes 127 professores, 58 são do sexo feminino (45,7 %) e 69 do sexo masculino (54,3 %) com idade mínima de 26 e máxima de 76, cuja média se situa nos 45,5 (M= 45,54; DP= 8,708). Constatou-se que no grupo das variáveis sociodemográficas, apenas a variável “habilitações literárias”, apresenta diferenças estatisticamente significativas. No grupo das variáveis situacionais, verificaram-se diferenças estatisticamente significativas nas variáveis “leciona em horário diurno e/ou noturno”, “número de horas despendidas na preparação de aulas/correção de trabalhos” e na variável “têm outra atividade profissional para além da atividade docente”. Também apresenta diferenças estatisticamente significativas a variável de interação social, “horas dedicadas a atividades de lazer e convívio”.

Contraceptive methods with male participation: a perspective of Brazilian couples

Objective: To assess the perspectives of couples who requested vasectomy in a public health service on the use of male participation contraceptive methods available in Brazil: male condoms, natural family planning/calendar, coitus interruptus and vasectomy. Methods: A qualitative study with semi-structured interviews was held with 20 couples who had requested vasectomy at the Human Reproduction Unit of the Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brazil. Data analysis was carried out through thematic content analysis. Findings: The couples did not, in general, know any effective contraceptive options for use by men and/or participating in their use, except for vasectomy. The few methods with male participation that they knew of were perceived to interfere in spontaneity and in pleasure of intercourse. Men accepted that condom use in extra-conjugal relations offered them protection from sexually transmitted diseases; that their wives might also participate in extra-marital relationships was not considered. Discussion: The few contraceptive options with male participation lead to difficulty in sharing responsibilities between men and women. On the basis of perceived gender roles, women took the responsibility for contraception until the moment when the situation became untenable, and they faced the unavoidable necessity of sterilization. Conclusion: Specific actions are necessary for men to achieve integral participation in relation to reproductive sexual health. These include education and discussions on gender roles, leading to greater awareness in men of the realities of sexual and reproductive health.

Factors associated with increased prevalence of human papillomavirus infection in a cohort of HIV-Infected Brazilian women

Objectives: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a major risk factor for cervical disease. Using baseline data from the HIV-infected cohort of Evandro Chagas Clinical Research Institute at Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, factors associated with an increased prevalence of HPV were assessed. Methods: Samples from 634 HIV-infected women were tested for the presence of HPV infection using hybrid capture 11 and polymerase chain reaction. Prevalence ratios (PR) were estimated using Poisson regression analysis with robust variance. Results: The overall prevalence of HPV infection was 48%, of which 94% were infected with a high-risk HPV. In multivariate analysis, factors independently associated with infection with high-risk HPV type were: younger age (<30 years of age; PR 1.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-2.1), current or prior drug use (PR 1.3, 95% CI 1.0-1.6), self-reported history of HPV infection (PR 1.2, 95% CI 0.96-1.6), condom use in the last sexual intercourse (PR 1.3, 95% CI 1.1-1.7), and nadir CD4+ T-cell count <100 cells/mm(3) (PR 1.6, 95% CI 1.2-2.1). Conclusions: The estimated prevalence of high-risk HPV-infection among HIV-infected women from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was high. Close monitoring of HPV-related effects is warranted in all HIV-infected women, in particular those of younger age and advanced immunosuppression. (C) 2008 International Society for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The world of the Sumerian mother goddess : an interpretation of her myths

The present study is an interpretation of the two myths copied in the Old Babylonian period in which the Sumerian mother goddess is one of the main actors. The first myth is commonly called “Enki and Ninḫursaĝa”, and the second “Enki and Ninmaḫ”. The theoretical point of departure is that myths have society as their referents, i.e. they are “talking about” society, and that this is done in an ideological way. This study aims at investigating on the one hand which contexts in the Mesopotamian society each section of the myths refers to, and on the other hand which ideological aspects that the myths express in terms of power relations. The myths are contextualized in relation to their historical and social setting. If the myth for example deals with working men, male work in the area during the relevant period is discussed. The same method of contextualization is used regarding marriage, geographical points of reference and so on. Also constellations of mythical ideas are contextualized, through comparison with similar constellations in other Mesopotamian myths. Besides the method of contextualization, the power relations in the myths are investigated. According to this latter method, the categories at issue, their ranking, as well as their changed ranking, are noted. The topics of the myths are issues important for the kingship and the country, such as irrigation, trade, health and healing, birth, collective work, artisanry and rivalry. All these aspects are used in order to express what the power relations between the goddess Ninḫursaĝa/Ninmaḫ and the god Enki look like. The relations are negotiated and recalibrated, which leads to the goddess getting a lowered status. Part of the negotiations and recalibrations is gender behavior, which is related to historical developments in society. The present work points to the function of these myths as tools of recalibrating not only deities, but also men and women in society.

Knowledge and perceptions regarding sexual and reproductive health among high school students in Kathmandu, Nepal

Background: Nepal recently began teaching sexual education in the school system and has established youth friendly services in order to meet the need of increased sexual and reproductive knowledge among the youth. Objective: To examine the sexual and reproductive knowledge and perceptions among young people attending schools in Kathmandu. Method: A written questionnaire was distributed to 160 students, in a classroom environment, in four schools in Kathmandu. Results: Two thirds of the females and nearly 60% of the males knew that it was possible to get sexually transmitted infection (STI) during one sexual encounter and more than half of the students knew when in the menstrual cycle conception was more likely to occur . One third of the participants did not know that it was possible to become pregnant after having intercourse once. The males demonstrated less knowledge than the females regarding every aspect of sex and reproduction, with the exception of pregnancy prevention. Conclusion and clinical implications: For the youths in this study, it was more important to prevent unwanted pregnancies than to protect oneself from STIs. Establishment of a hotline on the internet, where personalized and confidential counselling can be offered may complement the comprehensive sexual education in schools.

Prevalência da infecção por Chlamydia Trachomatis em mulheres atendidas no Programa de rastreamento do câncer de colo do útero

Genital infection with Chlamydia trachomatis is now recognized as one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted infections (STDs). Despite major advances in laboratory diagnosis techniques, primarily the character of asymptomatic chlamydial infection in both men and in women constitutes the basis for the formation of reservoirs that perpetuate transmission and acquisition of this and other STDs. The asymptomatic in women favors the rise of infection to the upper genital tract, causing injuries that can result in infertility. An examination of population screening for early detection and treatment of asymptomatic infections is the key step in combating this major public health problem. The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of infection by C. trachomatis in sexually active women attended the screening program for cervical cancer of the uterus in health facilities in municipalities in different regions of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, and identify factors that may contribute to the spread of this pathogen and its relationship with the lesions of the uterine cervix. It is a cross-sectional study aimed at detecting the presence of genital tract infection by C. trachomatis either in isolated form or in association with human papilloma virus (HPV) infection in asymptomatic women. Were included in this study, a total sample of 1,134 women aged 13-76, mean 34.4 years, from March 2008 to September 2012. Specimens containing exfoliated cells of the epithelium of the uterine cervix were analyzed by examining Pap cytology for the detection of possible injuries, and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of plasmid DNA from C. trachomatis and HPV. Infection with C. trachomatis was detected with overall prevalence rate of 8.1% in the isolated form and 2.8% in co-infection with HPV. The infection was detected in 7.4% of women with normal cytology 11.5% of those with atypical cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) and 16.7% of those with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL). We observed an association between C. trachomatis and incidence of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL). The genital tract infection by C. trachomatis alone was associated with education level, ethnicity and parity, revealing that women with higher education, those of non-white ethnicity and those who had three or more pregnancies were more likely to acquire infection. Levels very close to statistical significance were observed for chronological age, age at first sexual intercourse and first pregnancy. There was no association with marital status, number of sexual partners. Co-infection with C. trachomatis and HPV was detected in 2.3% of women with normal cytology, who had 5.1% in ASC-US and 10.4% in those with LSIL. No association was found between infection C. trachomatis and increased risk of HPV infection, but women with simultaneous infection by both pathogens showed greater risk for LSIL. Co-infection was more prevalent among single women, who had in the first sexual intercourse under 18 years and those who had two or more sexual partners over a lifetime

Periurbanização da leishmaniose visceral e emergência da coinfecção HIV/leishimania, no Rio Grande do Norte

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) has undergone changes in terms of clinical and epidemiological presentation worldwide. Urbanization has been described in different regions of Brazil and the world, as well as in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. These changes have impacted in the clinical outcome of Leishmania infection. A new clinical entity called co-infection of HIV/Leishmania has been described as a consequence of overlapping areas of occurrence of VL and HIV / AIDS in different countries including Brazil. The aim of this study was to define the process of periurbanization of the LV and describe a case series of co-infection HIV / Leishmania in Rio Grande do Norte. A new demographic pattern of VL was detected, with an increase in the number VL adult male subjects. Analysis of spatial distribution of VL in the state of Rio Grande do Norte showed that in the past 20 years VL tends to occur in larger cities and therefore the highest risk disease is greater in the eastern and western regions. The first region included Natal, the state capital, where the process of suburbanization began in 1990, and more recently the city of Mossoró, the second largest state, where periurbanization began in the last five years. In 1990, the emergence of co-infection HIV/Leishmania in the state was observed. Case-control study revealed that the new clinical entity affects adult males, who acquired HIV through sexual intercourse, 40% of those with a preivous history of leishmania infection Relapse and death from LV is increased in HIV positive compared with HIV-negative patients matched by sex and age. This pattern is similar to the observed in Europe, except of the route of transmission, where in Europe occured concomitantly, by parenteral route in drug users. Analysis of spatial distribution identified overlapping new areas of occurrence of HIV / AIDS and LV potentially signaling to increased risk of this new clinical entity as described above. Therefore, epidemiological surveillance for co-infection HIV / Leishmania should be adopted in all areas of risk of VL. At the same time, it is necessary to evaluate drug resistance currently used in the treatment of VL, as well as parenteral transmission of L infantum/ chagasi in areas where drug dependence is a risk factor for HIV acquisition

Prazer com razão: análise e crítica da ética sexual Kantiana

This work aims to present the foundations of Kantian ethics concerning to moral judgments about sexual practices. It shows that the sexual act, for the philosopher, inevitably degrades individuals who are taking part of it, given its objectifying nature, manifested in the usage of individuals as mere means to obtain pleasure. To solve this quandary of nature since humanity is an end in itself, by the virtue of being bearer of rationality and cannot, therefore, be treated as mere means Kant claims that marriage is morally the appropriate locus for the exercise of sexuality, given the reciprocity forged there, preventing degradation. In marriage, the bond established between the impulse of nature to the conservation of the species achieved through the sexual intercourse opened to procreation and the duty of man in regarding himself as an animal being preserving the species without degrading the person is accomplished in a fully moral way. This text clarifies that the justification for the assumption of this solution is fixed at two developments of the categorical imperative: the formulas of the law of nature and humanity. Despite the fact the first brings significant contributions to human relations through the concept of reciprocity, the second establishes a normative role for the teleological argument of sexuality, becoming an obstacle in kantian's practical philosophy. To overcome that obstacle, we outline a critics which relies on the studies of Michel Foucault about sex and the power techniques related to them, producer of a scientia sexualis in the Western, demonstrating that the moral of the philosopher from Königsberg is also present in this project somehow. Finally, in a foucaultian's reading of kantian Aufklärung, we recognize that, to propose new ethical possibilities of the experience of sexuality, it is necessary to think and create new relational spaces in which the subject takes autonomously the government of self.

Da emergência da personagem social do homosexual à cultura gay: uma leitura a partir de Michel Foucault

This present research aims to understand the concept of homosexuality as a social creation that comes permeated by the discourses of sexuality devices. It discusses the issue of homosexuality with a focus on works of Michel Foucault, in special The History of Sexuality, where the author emphasizes that homosexuality as a social construct that manifests itself during the nineteenth century. From the Foucauldian discourse, it is proposed to understand and analyze the creation of the concept of homosexuality, which is built around the subordination of the individual as a social agent, or the creation of homosexuality does not refer to sexual intercourse between individuals of the same sex, but a social subject and the position it takes in society. So along with the birth of the homosexual individual, there is also the construction of the individual as a social subject, as being, homosexuality and homosexual subject are products of overlapping powerculture. When addressing this theme, it breaks the hegemony that seeks to characterize naturalized of sexuality and, consequently, homosexuality, born with the original speeches on medical and psychiatric couches, in which one perceives the role of power in the discourses deploying the truths aimed at sexuality. With this, there has been an argument that seeks to refute the eugenics that includes sexuality as something natural, instituting a homosexual as a guy born hostage to a bad genetic and abnormal who should be treated for their disease, and understand this individual as a product of social discourse

Medidas contraceptivas e de proteção da transmissão do HIV por mulheres com HIV/Aids

OBJETIVO: Atualmente, entre as mulheres, a relação sexual é a forma de transmissão que mais tem contribuído para a feminização da epidemia de HIV/Aids. Na busca constante de se estabelecer padrões mais adequados de orientação para saúde, investigou-se o uso de medidas contraceptivas, que também sirvam de proteção da transmissão do HIV, entre mulheres portadoras de HIV/Aids. MÉTODOS: Estudo exploratório desenvolvido em um serviço público ambulatorial de um hospital universitário, referência aos portadores de HIV/Aids da região centro-sul do Estado de São Paulo, no período de cinco meses (2000 a 2001). Foram estudadas 73 mulheres portadoras da infecção pelo HIV, ou com Aids. Os dados foram obtidos por meio de um formulário que investigava a caracterização sociodemográfica, as formas de anticoncepção utilizada e a situação sorológica do parceiro sexual. Os dados foram analisados descritivamente e os conteúdos das respostas abertas, agrupados em temas. Foi aplicado o teste exato de Fisher para análise de algumas variáveis, em nível de 5%. Para a análise de conteúdo utilizou-se a proposta de Bardin. RESULTADOS: A maioria das mulheres estava em fase de vida reprodutiva, eram casadas e foram contaminadas quase exclusivamente por meio da relação heterossexual. Entre elas, 35,4% referiam parceiro sexual discordante quanto à sorologia anti-HIV, e 13,7% utilizavam formas inadequadas de anticoncepção que também não protegiam da transmissão do HIV. CONCLUSÕES: Os resultados alertam para a necessidade de ações educativas continuadas quanto a experiências sexuais mais seguras entre portadoras de HIV/Aids, para que elas possam discutir com seus parceiros outras formas de exercerem sua sexualidade, sendo capazes de estabelecer opção contraceptiva mais consciente, de maneira a zelar pela sua saúde, do parceiro e até do concepto.

Group B streptococci colonization in pregnant women: risk factors and evaluation of the vaginal flora

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Condom use at last sexual relationship among adolescents of Santiago Island, Cape Verde, - West Africa

Objective: To estimate factors associated with condom use at last sexual intercourse among adolescents.Methods: Cross-sectional study of a representative sample of 368 sexually active adolescents aged 13-17 years from eight public high schools on Santiago Island, Cape Verde, 2007. The level of significance was 5.0% obtained from logistic regression, considering the association between condom use and socio-demographic, sexual and reproductive variables.Results: The prevalence of condom use at last sexual intercourse was 94.9%. Factors associated with condom use at last sexual relationship were: non-Catholic religion (OR=0.68, 95%CI: 0.52; 0.88) and affective-sexual partnership before the interview (OR=5.15, 95%CI: 1.79; 14.80).Conclusions: There was a high prevalence of condom use at last sexual intercourse of adolescents.

Cigarette smoking and high-risk HPV DNA as predisposing factors for high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) in young Brazilian women

Background. This cross-sectional study was designed to evaluate the role of cigarette smoking and high-risk HPV types as risk factors of CIN 2 and 3 in young, sexually active Brazilian women. Materials and method. A series of 100 consecutive women with abnormal Pap smears were recruited, subjected to colposcopy, punch biopsy, and questionnaire for their social, sexual and reproductive factors. Of these, 77 women between 20 and 35 years of age (median 26.5 years) with biopsy-confirmed CIN 1 or CIN 2 and 3, were enrolled in this study. Representative samples from the exocervix and endocervix were obtained for HPV testing with the Hybrid Capture HPV-DNA assay, including the probes for the oncogenic HPV types (16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 45, 51, 52 and 56). Results. The overall rate of CIN 2 and 3 was 23/77 (29.8%). The women with CIN 1, 2 and 3 did not differ from each other with regard to their age, race, schooling, marital status, life-time number of sexual partners, age at first intercourse, use of oral contraceptives, or parity. However, current cigarette smoking was strongly associated with CIN 2 and 3 (p < 0,001), and among smokers, the risk of high-grade CIN increased in parallel with the time of exposure (years of smoking) p = 0.07), HPV-DNA of the oncogenic types was detected in 43 (56%) women, the risk of being HPV DNA-positive was significantly higher in CIN 2 and 3 as compared with CIN 1 (p = 0.037). Importantly, the prevalence of high-risk HPV types was significantly higher in cigarette smokers than in non-smokers (p = 0.046). Conclusions. The results indicate that the severity of CIN lesions was clearly related to two fundamental risk factors: 1) high-risk HPV types, and 2) current cigarette smoking. These two risk factors were closely interrelated in that the high-risk HPV types were significantly more frequent in current smokers than in non-smokers, suggesting the possibility of a synergistic action between these two risk factors in cervical carcinogenesis.

Long-term outcome of penile fracture treatment

Objectives: Penile fracture is a rare injury, usually resulting from direct trauma to the erect penis during sexual intercourse. Our goal was to evaluate the best diagnostic methods and the late complications following surgical treatment of penile fracture. Material and Methods: We studied retrospectively 11 patients with penile fracture in a period of 10 years (1985-1995). Results: In 55% of the cases, the injury occurred during sexual intercourse. All patients presented with a very suggestive clinical picture (pain, detumescence and hematoma) and only 2 were submitted to further investigation (ultrasonography) to confirm the diagnosis. Only one patient had urethral bleeding and therefore was submitted to retrograde urethrogram, which confirmed urethral injury. All patients were treated by immediate surgery, through a circular subcoronal incision and degloving of the penis to allow a thorough exploration. All patients had a tunica albuginea tear that was promptly repaired, and 2 patients (18%) had associated urethral injury (one had no symptoms) that was also repaired. All patients did very well after surgery and only one had a mild curvature, which did not hinder intercourse during follow-up (18 months). Conclusions: Penile fracture has very typical clinical signs and, therefore, further investigation is usually unnecessary. Early surgical treatment is associated with a low incidence of late complications.