Meanings of HIV/AIDS prevention and sexuality for young Catholics. / Significados a respeito da prevenção ao HIV/aids e da sexualidade para jovens católicos.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the the social representations of young Catholics about HIV/AIDS prevention and sexuality. METHOD Mixed study, based on the theory of social representations, held in 2015 with 84 young Catholics participating in the group "World Youth Day" on Facebook. The data were collected through the technique of free association of words and in-depth interview. For the information analysis, the software Tri-Deux-Mots and Alceste were used. RESULTS Sexuality is processed in the representational field of young people as being associated with the sexual practice. In turn, the prevention of HIV, a phenomenon represented as intrinsic to sexuality, occurs through the use of condoms or fidelity within marriage. CONCLUSION Young Catholics represent the prevention of HIV/AIDS as a transverse phenomenon to sexuality, whose sexual practices are anchored both in hegemonic and progressive discourses.