A study of the knowledge on HIV in regards to routes of transmission and sexual practices in men between the ages of 20 to 50 in Tehran

Abstract Objective To study the knowledge of 20–50 years old men regarding HIV transmission routes and their sexual practices in 2012. Methods A cross sectional study on 20–50 years old men visiting barber shops in Tehran, Iran was carried out to assess their knowledge regarding HIV transmission routes as well as their sexual practice by questionnaires. A total of 1 097 individuals were included in our study through cluster sampling. Results About 93% of the study population correctly answered questions about most probable HIV transmission routes, including blood transfusion, shared syringe and sexual contact whereas 55% were unaware of HIV transmission through breast feeding. About 29% of participants in our study had sexual contact with more than one person, among those 52.8% reported using condom and 30% of them were tested for HIV. Conclusions Educational programs on HIV transmission routes are essential for general population. We also strongly recommend educating multi partners people regarding importance of using condom and its effects on minimizing the chance of HIV infection.