HIV-related knowledge and risk behaviors of street youth in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The Street Youth Study Group.

Individual interviews were conducted with 379 youth who work and/or live on the streets of a large Brazilian city to assess HIV-related knowledge, sources of information, risk behaviors, and prevention beliefs and strategies. Respondents demonstrated high levels of factual knowledge about HIV transmission (84% correct) coupled with high levels of misconceptions about casual transmission (53% correct) and intermediate levels of knowledge about prevention (64% correct). Only 54% of the respondents had heard about AIDS recently, and 37.5% said they talked to someone about AIDS. The most common sources of information about HIV/AIDS were the mass-media and friends. Over half the sample reported taking precautions to reduce their risk of HIV infection; however, the proportion of youth taking effective precautions was low. Among the 247 youth (65% of the sample) who had initiated sexual activity, lifetime condom use was reported by 18%, and condom use at last intercourse by 10%. Youth with higher levels of knowledge were more likely to report behavior changes to avoid HIV infection. These findings underscore the urgent need for prevention programs tailored to street youth in developing countries.

Social networks and daily activities of street youth in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Street Youth Study Group.

Social networks and daily activities of children and adolescents living and/or working on the streets of a large Brazilian city were examined. Drawing on data collected through structured surveys, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and field observations, we described street youths' family situation, social resources, institutional experiences, survival activities, and problem behaviors and investigated differences attributable to age, gender, and living situation (at home or on the street). Youngsters who lived at home and worked on the street appeared to be experiencing orderly development despite their impoverished circumstances. Youngsters who lived on the street showed hallmarks of psychological and physical risk, including parental loss, diminished social support, substance abuse, and early onset of sexual activity. Possible implications of these contextual differences for development are discussed, and directions for future research are suggested.

[Tooth vitality after interalvolar and perialveolar osteotomies in the maxilla]. / Die Vitalität von Zähnen nach interalveolären und und peralveolären Osteotomien im Oberkiefer

Follow-up examinations in 39 patients with osteotomies in the maxillary alveolar ridge for correcting jaw deformities showed that the risk of devitalization of teeth in the mobilized fragments and in the firm residual parts of the jaw is small. In interalveolar osteotomies this risk is slightly greater than in transalveolar osteotomies, because of the restricted space.

[Local periodontal findings following interalveolar and perialveolar maxillary osteotomies]. / Der lokale Parodontalbefund nach interalveolären und peralveolären Osteotomien im Oberkiefer

Follow-ups in 30 patients with osteotomies of the upper jaws showed that the risk of periodontal damage is small in primarily healthy periodontia. In most of the cases, the periodontal pockets in the region of osteotomy were less deep than those in other regions of the maxilla.