Creencias de contagio casual, estigma y discriminación relacionados al VIH, en adolescentes que asisten a colegios oficiales en áreas urbanas de Panamá [HIVrelated beliefs of casual contagion, stigma, and discrimination among adolescents who attend public schools in urban areas of Panama]

Objetivo:  Describir la prevalencia y factores sociodemograficos relacionados con las creencias de contagio casual de VIH. Entender los factores que estan asociados a estigmas y discriminacion hacia companeros que viven con el VIH en la poblacion adolescente (14-19 anos) en centros educativos de nivel media de areas urbanas de Panama. Metodo:  Se realizo un estudio de corte transversal con muestreo de conglomerados de dos-etapas, con seleccion aleatoria en 4 regiones urbanas de Panama (Panama, San Miguelito, Colon y Panama Oeste). Se incluyo estudiantes 14-19 anos de centros educativos publicos de educacion media entre los meses de junio y agosto de 2015-2018 (una region por ano). Se utilizo de regresion logistica multivariable con efectos aleatorios. Resultados:  Del total de 2466 participantes, el 56.9% era de sexo femenino y el 43.1% de sexo masculino. No se encontro una diferencia significativa entre el sexo de los participantes y la creencia en contagio casual.  Despues de ajustar el modelo por edad de los participantes, se encontro evidencia de asociacion entre participantes de sexo masculino y el estigma (adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR]=1.44, 95% Intervalo de Confianza [IC]:1.14-1.82) y la discriminacion (AOR= 2.02 95%CI:1.40-3.07).  Al ajustar por sexo y edad de los participantes, se encontro evidencia de asociacion entre creencias de contagio casual y estigma reportado (AOR=2.0, IC95%: 1.4-2.9), como tambien entre estigma y discriminacion reportado (AOR=2.2 CI 95%:1.5-3.2). Conclusiones:  Los estudiantes entre los 14-19 anos que asisten a centros educativos publicos de nivel Media, presentaron una alta prevalencia de creencia de contagio casual del VIH, estigma y discriminacion.  Abstract : Objective : To describe the prevalence and sociodemographic factors related to beliefs of casual HIV infection. Understand the factors that are associated with stigma and discrimination towards peers living with HIV in the adolescent population (14-19 years) in high school educational centers in urban areas of Panama. Method : A cross-sectional study was carried out with two-stage cluster sampling, using random selection in 4 urban regions of Panama (Panama, San Miguelito, Colon and Panama Oeste). The study was carried out among 14-19-year-old participants of public schools of secondary education between the months of June and August 2015-2018 (one region per year). Random-effects multivariable logistic regression analysis was used. Results : Of the total of 2,466 participants, 56.9% were female and 43.1% male. No significant difference was found between the sex of the participants and the belief of casual contagion. However, after adjusting the model for the age of the participants, we found evidence of an association between stigma (adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 1.44,95% Confidence Interval[CI]:1.14-1.82) and discrimination (AOR = 2.02 95% CI:1.40-3.07) in the male participants. After adjusting for the sex and age of the participants, evidence of association was found among those with beliefs of casual contagion and reported stigma (AOR = 2.0, 95%CI:1.4-2.9), as well as strong evidence of association between stigma and reported discrimination (AOR = 2.2 95% CI:1.5-3.2). Conclusions : Students between the ages of 14-19 years who attend public schools of medium level, presented a high prevalence of belief of casual HIV infection, stigma and discrimination.