Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this thesis is to identity whether condoms are being stigmatized, and to investigate the current perceptions, attitudes and beliefs about condom use in relation to the HIV and AIDS epidemic. Through the use of Richard Osmer’s model for research in Practical Theology, the study starts off with a Descriptive-Empirical task to investigate what is going on regarding the impact of society’s perceptions on condom use. The second part of the study commences the Interpretive task investigating why the perceptions about condoms exist, exploring the impact and dynamics of stigmatization; looking at sex, sexuality, sin and taboos relative to stigmatization. The Normative task explores what ought to be the perceptions of condom use by using Louw’s (2008) theory, an integrative Christian spiritual approach to Sexual Ethics, to explore the sacred space of sexuality, evaluating human sexuality and the human body, also looking at marriage and sexuality. Lastly, the Pragmatic task looks at the possible ways that we might respond to stigmatization, recommending certain practical conclusions within a pastoral counselling view to move towards de-stigmatization. These approaches include discussion on relevant HIV education and awareness programmes, pastoral care and counselling methods and programmes for people living with HIV and AIDS, and a pastoral approach with a Jesus as model for pastoral counselling. These collectively and conclusively explain the paradigm shift of letting the theology of the resurrection state a theological critique on stigmatization. In conclusion, the thesis argues that people do hold stigmatized perceptions about condoms and HIV and AIDS and these perceptions are grounded in attitudes and beliefs that are products of cultural and religious societal processes. The study proved that educational interventions need to be adapted to be more contextually relevant in order to be effective as a practical approach to stigmatization, as the study proved that having medical, educational knowledge about HIV and AIDS and prevention interventions do not necessarily result in saver sexual practice. Ultimately, pastoral approaches should be implemented in the hope to offer a movement towards destigmatization, not only of condoms, but HIV and AIDS and people living with HIV and AIDS. Thus, the proposal for a pastoral spiritual approach in process of destigmatization based upon a theological model. In this regard, the theological model is based on the notion of the theologia resurrectionis. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie tesis is om te identifiseer of kondome gestigmatiseer word en om die huidige persepsies, houdings en oortuigings oor die gebruik van kondome, met betrekking tot die MIV- en VIGS-epidemie, te ondersoek. Deur die gebruik van Richard Osmer se model vir navorsing in Praktiese Teologie, begin die studie begin met 'n beskrywende-empiriese taak om te ondersoek wat die impak van die gemeenskap se persepsies is oor die gebruik van kondome. Die tweede deel van die studie, die interpretatiewe taak, ondersoek waarom die persepsies oor kondome bestaan. Dit ondersoek ook die impak en dinamika van stigmatisering deur te kyk na seks, seksualiteit, sonde en die taboes relatief tot stigmatisering. Die normatiewe taak ondersoek wat die persepsies van kondom gebruik behoort te wees deur Louw se (2008) se teorie, 'n geïntegreerde Christelike geestelike benadering tot seksuele etiek, te raadpleeg. Daardeur kyk die studie na die sakrale ruimte van seksualiteit en evalueer menslike seksualiteit en die menslike liggaam asook die huwelik en sexualiteit daarvolgens. Laastens in die pragmatiese taak kyk die study na die moontlike maniere waarop ons kan reageer op stigmatisering. Die pragmatiese taak beveel sekere praktiese gevolgtrekkings binne 'n pastorale beradings oogpunt aan, as ‘n moontlike kopskuif na ‘de’-stigmatisering. Hierdie benaderings sluit in; bespreking van relevante MIV opvoeding en bewusmaking programme, pastorale sorg en berading metodes en programme vir mense wat lewe met MIV en VIGS en ook 'n pastorale benadering met Jesus as model vir pastorale berading. Gesamentlik verduidelik hierdie moontlike benaderings die paradigmaskuif na die opstandingsteologie en 'n teologiese kritiek op stigmatisering.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: HIV/AIDS is one of the most devastating pandemics the world has ever faced. SubSaharan Africa remains the region most affected where more two thirds of the total HIV positive population resides. Despite this region trying to grapple with many negative factors like political unrest, draughts, armed conflict, it now also have to content with HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS has already killed ten times more Africans than all of the armed conflicts on the African continent combined (The Washington Quarterly, 2001:191-196). Many of the Sub-Saharan countries are renowned for unemployment and poverty which can be partly be alleviated by economic growth. Studies by Bonnel (2000) concluded that a typical Sub-Saharan country with a 20% HIV/AIDS prevalence rate, would suffer a 2.6% reduction in GDP growth per annum. This indicates that South Africa, where an estimated S.5 million HIV positive people resides (the most in globe) and ever increasing HIV prevalence, is in a serious predicament. There are many interacting variables causing the negative socioeconomic decline. At organisational level direct and indirect costs attributable to HIV, results in a severe decline of profitability and jeopardises sustainable economic activity. Direct costs include costs for medical treatment, health insurance, funeral expenses, retirement and disability and costs to manage HIV in the workplace. Indirect costs include absenteeism and loss of productivity, retraining and recruiting of employees to fill deceased employees' places etc. Although South African organisations acknowledge and predict that HIV/AIDS will have an ever-increasing negative impact on their business, the response to dealing with this issue has been insufficient. The deficient response could be partly ascribed to a lack of guidance, deficient proof of cost effectiveness with no real measurement for the outcomes of intervention programs. This study will critically evaluate a KAPB (knowledge, attitude, perception and behaviour) survey as a second-generation HIV surveillance tool that could address these organisational concerns. KAPB surveys have advantages like providing guidance and increasing cost effectiveness of HIV programs, benchmarking interventions and providing a platform for communication design and feedback to stakeholders. These benefits should motivate organisations to initiate programs that address HIV at an organisational level. KAPB surveys evaluate four employee factors related to HIV - knowledge, attitudes, perception and sexual behaviour. This report will critically evaluate the appropriateness of measuring these factors and some tools used to measure these factors. Further elaboration of the methodology during the execution of a KAPB survey will highlight the current best practices identified in literature. The report will also highlight the obstacles and ways of negotiating them when conducting a KPAB survey. The study will conclude that a well -executed KAPB survey through its many benefits should motivate and assist organisations in designing and implementing HIV/AIDS programs. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: HIV is een van die ernstigste pandemies wat die wereld al ooit beleef het. Die state in die Sub-Sahara streek is die ergste geaffekteer en meer as twee derdes van die totale HIV positiewe populasie kom in die gebied voor. Die streek wat deurgaans geteister word deur politieke onrus, droogte, oorlog, moet nou ook probeer tred hou met MIV /VIGS. MIV/VIGS het tot op hede alreeds tien keer meer mense gedood as al die oorloë op die Afrika continent saam (The Washington Quarterly, 2001: 191-196). Die meeste van die state in Sub-Sahara word gekenmerk deur werkloosheid en armoede wat deels verlig kan word deur ekonomiese groei. Studies deur Bonnel (2000) het getoon dat die tipiese staat in Sub-Sahara, met 'n 20% MIV insidensie 'n vermindering van tot 2.6% groei in die GDP kan ondervind. Dit voorspel dat Suid-Afrika met 'n voorspelde 5.5 miljoen HIV positiewe inwoners (die meeste in die wereld) ekonomiese noodlot in die oog staar. Daar is verskeie faktore wat saamwerk om die negatiewe ekonomiese 'effek van MIV/VIGS te bewerkstellig. Organisasies se ekonomiese vooruitgang en oorlewing word bedreig deur direkte en indirect kostes van MIV. Direkte kostes wat organisasies moet aangaan sluit in mediese behandeling, mediese fonds bydraes, begrafnis onkostes, aftrede en ongeskiktheidspensioenbetalings. Indirekte kostes sluit in afwesighede, verlies aan produktiwiteit en die heropleiding en werwing van werknemers wat afgestorwe werknemers se plek moet neem. Ten spyte van die feit dat organisasies erken en voorspel dat MIV/VIGS 'n negatiewe impak op die ekonomies welvaart van organisasies sal hê, het weining van die organisasies aksie geneem om die probleem aan te spreek. 'n Moontlike rede vir die onvoldoende aksie kan toegeskryf word aan die tekort aan leiding, bewyse vir kostedoeltreffendheid en geen werklike maatstaf om die programme se resultate te evalueer. Hierdie studie sal KGPG (kennis, gevoelens, persepsie ' en gedrag) studies as 'n tweede generasie MIV opname, krities evalueer. KGPG studies bied verskeie voordele soos om leiding vir HIV programme te bied en verbeterde koste effetiwiteit van MIV programme te bewerkstellig. KGPG studies voorsien ook 'n maatstaf om MIV programme te evalueer en 'n kommunikaise platvorm tussen aandeelhouers. Hierdie voordele sal moontlik organisasies motiveer om aksie te neem en MIV in die organisasie aan te spreek. KGPG studies evalueer vier werknemer faktore met betrekking to MIV /VIGS. Die vier faktore is kennis, gevoelens, persepsie en seksuale gedrag. Die verslag sal die vier faktore krities evalueer vir toepaslikheid en ook fokus op die instrumente wat die faktore evalueer. Aanbevelings sal ook gemaak word ten opsigte van die korrekte en beste metodes wat gevold moet work tydens 'n KGPG studie. Die struikelblokke wat ondervind kan word tydens 'n KGPG studie asook hoe om dit te oorkom sal bespreek word. Die verslag sal bewys dat 'n KGPG studie wat uitgevoer word in Iyn met die beste praktyk baie waarde kan toevoeg tot organisasies ten opsigte van die beplanning en uitvoering van programme om MIV/VIGS te bekamp.

M.A. / This study emerged from the apparent contradiction posed by the frequent occurrence of stigma and the prevalent concept of ‘living positively with HIV/AIDS’ in South Africa. It was anchored in the need and commitment to resolve this paradox. This study contributes to filling a relative dearth of research which explores this phenomenon. Fieldwork consisted of observation, group interviews and in-depth interviews at two public hospitals in the greater Johannesburg area. People living with HIV/AIDS (PLHAs) experience stigma to differing extents in various contexts. In particular, PLHAs experience stigma in healthcare settings, from family, sexual partners and the community at large. Social identity is used in two significant ways as a defence mechanism against stigma in personal relationships. The first is to attempt to discredit stigmatising stereotypes as applied to the PLHA by emphasising how he/she is moral and valuable to those around HIV/her. By using this approach, termed ‘identity fixes’, the PLHA attempts to reduce the stigma which he/she is likely to experience in her/his social relationships. The second is to refuse to accept the ideology which underpins stigma. This denies that HIV/AIDS is an appropriate basis for stigma. The acceptance of this alternative ideology is marked by public disclosure. The goal of adopting this identity termed the ‘positive resistance identity’ is to challenge and oppose the stigma itself. / Prof. Tina Uys

M.Comm. / The aim of this dissertation was to determine the economic impact of HIV/AIDS on the South African manufacturing industry. The research focused on the impact of HIV/AIDS on different efficiency categories, labour and production costs and competitiveness categories. The South African health sector, specifically the public health sector is under pressure in terms of funding, staff and infrastructure. This situation is putting pressure on the effective combat of HIV/AIDS in the country. The private health sector is more and more required to help to enhance the capacity of health services in South Africa. Firms are also required to make more health funding available to their employees and in some cases (such as the fight against HIV/AIDS) to supply health services within the organisation. HIV/AIDS is a serious illness that results in a situation where employees are not operating at their full potential. If left untreated it could have very negative impacts/effects not only for the employee but also for the efficiency and competitiveness of the firm. Firm are thus more and more forced on instituting effective HIV/AIDS programmes in the working place. The aim is to lessen the negative impact that HIV/AIDS might have on different efficiency levels, labour and production cost levels and on competitiveness in general. The results of the study indicated that HIV/AIDS have serious implications for firm-efficiency and firm-competitiveness. It was also learned from the results that bigger firms already have HIV/AIDS programmes in place in order to counter the negative impacts of HIV/AIDS in the working place.

M.A. / South African teenagers name HIV/AIDS as the top concern facing them. Despite this, a large majority of them believe that they personally are at very low, or no risk for infection (loveLife, 2001). Furthermore, the onset of sexual activity has become progressively earlier, with many teenagers becoming sexually active at around 13-14 years old (Stadler & Hlongwa, 2002). 50% of young people are sexually active by the age of 16 (Eaton, Flisher, & Aaro, 2002). However, only 30% of sexually experienced youth report using a condom every time they have sexual intercourse. Sexually experienced teenagers report that they are most likely to get condoms from clinics, but only 32% have been to a clinic in the past year for sexual health advice or care (loveLife, 2001). In the light of the alarming statistics mentioned above, youth represent an important target group for interventions, particularly those which address and effect changes in attitudes and behavior relating to sexuality. As a large number of children and teenagers attend school, information, skills, as well as values relayed in schools, can therefore have a considerable impact on their lives. Education systems should thoroughly educate children about HIV/AIDS infection, transmission and means of prevention, whilst assisting them to develop the life skills to apply their knowledge and communicate it to others. Programmes should assist in teaching children how to maintain health-enhancing behaviour and change, or avoid health-reducing behaviour (WHO, 1992).

The portrayal of HIV/AIDS in photographic imagery provides a powerful foundation from which to examine how one can interpret and understand text through the use of images, and how images have the ability to influence the meaning of text in an uninhibited fashion. The representation of the HIV/AIDS epidemic is considered, not through metaphors of language but rather metaphors of visual representations, along with substantiating themes such as stigma, stereotyping and visual markers of the disease. These themes are used to explore the way in which Sontagian metaphoric representations are substantiated by selection of Gideon Mendel’s photographic collection. This disease marks the infected visually, often with lesions or emaciation, and leads one to consider a visual explanation in order to understand text around the disease. Rather than using text to decipher images, this study reflects on the use of images, namely photographic images, to decipher text. The complex relationship between image and text is explored through an analysis of Gideon Mendel’s photographic collection, A Broken Landscape, as well as Susan Sontag’s AIDS and Its Metaphors. The World Press Photo catalogue is used as a visual framework from which to analyse and criticise this visual representation of the disease, and the way it has been covered and presented since the 1980s. A selection of photographic images from Mendel’s A Broken Landscape is used to understand Sontag’s textual metaphoric approach toward disease, and specifically HIV/AIDS. Visual representations of HIV/AIDS give transparency and understanding to textual representations of disease as an alternative of using text to read images. Using images to decipher text illustrates a contemporary method of understanding, unlocking a broader meaning rather than relying on prescribed (textual) meaning. Key words: HIV/AIDS, Text, Image, Stigma, Stereotype, Photography, Sontag, Mendel, Visual Analysis

Thesis (B.A.)--Haverford College, Dept. of Economics, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Oregon State University, 2010. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 116-124). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.A.)--York University, 1997. Graduate Programme in Psychology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 94-103). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL:http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pMQ27356.

Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2005. / Full text also available online. Scroll down to electronic link.