HIV infection is escalating among African-American heterosexual women in alarming rates. African-American women are 23 times as likely to be infected with the AIDS virus as white women. African-American women account for 72% of new HIV cases among women in 29 states. The risk of contracting HIV virus is highest in African-American communities, which inevitably places African-American women at higher risk than other populations of women. The purpose of this study was to advance knowledge regarding what is unknown about risky sexual behaviors among African-American heterosexual women by giving them the “voice” to share their own personal experiences in their natural environments. I examined participants’ perceptions of risk for contracting HIV/AIDS in relationships with male partners. This qualitative research design focused on a constant comparative analysis. I conducted one focus group [four members and one recorder] along with seven individual interviews, of African-American heterosexual women involved in the Women In Motion [WIM] HIV/AIDS prevention program. The following three health behavior frameworks were examined as a means of understanding the limitations of existing models of sexual risk behaviors among African-American women: The Health Belief Model (HBM), the Transtheoretical Change Model, and the Black feminist perspective. Gaps in the literature included insufficient knowledge of how cultural taboos and myths influence sexual decision-making. An overview of the findings of this study has been explicated under the following three main headings: (1) Observation, (2) Interpretation, and (3) Application. The results of the study are discussed under the following three main categories 1) Understanding Sexual Decision-Making, 2) Understanding Intimacy, and 3) Understanding HIV/AIDS Prevention With Male Partners. In conclusion, sexual decision-making in this inquiry became an all encompassing construct based on African-American women’s perceptions of how they viewed the paradox of sexual needs in intimate relationships with male partners and the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS.

Thesis (MPH.) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / Background: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome still remains the leading cause of death globally. Understanding students’ views about the risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection by exploring and describing their perceptions may help to design effective Human Immunodeficiency Virus prevention interventions. The tertiary institution environment offers a great opportunity for Human Immunodeficiency Virus high risk behaviours, including alcohol and drug abuse, unsafe sex, multiple sexual relationships, intergenerational and transactional sex. Despite the decline in the overall incidence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection, still a significant proportion of the youth population are at risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection. Objectives: The study was to explore and describe perception of risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus among students at the Institute of Development Management, Gaborone, Botswana Campus. Methodology: A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive study using semi-structured interviews with purposively selected second year Public Health students was conducted. Interviews were conducted using an interview guide. It was audio recorded until data saturation was reached, where eight students participated in the study. Voice recordings were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. Results: The findings reveals that some participants perceive themselves to be at risk of contracting Human Immunodeficiency Virus, while others perceive themselves as being not at risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection. Several risk factors associated with Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection, for example, alcohol and drug abuse, multiple concurrent sexual relationships, intergenerational and transactional sex are revealed as challenges. They also expressed their fears in relation to Human Immunodefiency Virus testing, pregnancy and disclosure of Human Immunodeficiency Virus positive status due to the stigma and discrimination. Conclusion: High risk behaviours leading to Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome prevalence are still common among young people, hence the need for government and all stakeholders to specifically address them by coming up with specific behavioural intervention programmes.

The purpose of the study was to describe the support services available for nurses who care for patients with human immunodeficiency virus / acquired immune-deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in Pretoria urban pubic hospitals. Problems faced by nurses in HIV/AIDS care support preferences were also investigated. The study was conducted between March and April 2003, using a descriptive design. Respondents comprised eighty-seven (87) nurses who were conveniently selected from five (5) hospitals. Results reveal that support available is inadequate in both quality and coverage of nurses. Other significant findings are inadequate job preparation, shortage of nurses and that nurses prefer to receive support from both within and outside the hospital. It has been recommended that management should work with nurses to design support interventions that match the identified problems/needs. Nurses need to take an active role in caring for themselves and more in-service training opportunities need to be created for nurses. / Health Studies / MA (Health Studies)

Voluntary HIV counselling and testing (VHCT) is one of the key strategies in the prevention of HIV in Ethiopia. However, utilization of the VHCT services among adolescents has been reported as low by previous studies. The purpose of this study was to investigate adolescents’ knowledge and attitudes towards VHCT services among adolescents attending high school in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. A cross-sectional school-based design using quantitative methods was employed to attain the objectives of the study. Data collection was done using self-administered structured questionnaires among 378 adolescent high school students. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings revealed that 75.7% of students are aware of the voluntary HIV counselling and testing services; 62.2% use the services and suggested that VHCT services should be located in schools and youth clubs for better access by adolescents. Thirty-two percent of respondents rated themselves at risk of HIV infection and 35.2% were not willing to disclose their HIV positive status to anybody. The findings of the study clearly indicate a need for a more accessible voluntary HIV counselling and testing services for adolescents. / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

This study was done to assess the quality of life (QOL) of people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) in Swaziland who are on antiretroviral therapy (ART). No study has been done on QOL of PLWHA in Swaziland who are on ART since it started to be administered in Swaziland in 2001. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive, and contextual design was used to assess QOL of PLWHA in Swaziland who are on ART. Twenty-four PLWHA were purposely selected to participate in the study. Methods of data collection used were semi-structured individual in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and observations. The data (tape-recorded interviews and discussions, and field notes) were transcribed verbatim for data analysis. Data analysed was done using Tesch’s framework of data analysis as described in Creswell (2002:256-283). The research findings are reflected, with the six domains of QOL identified through a literature review and validated by nurses’ expertise. These domains are the physiological, psychological, spiritual, socio-economic, cognitive, and environmental domains.The study revealed that PLWHA in Swaziland are faced with many challenges concerning ART, namely: inability to meet their nutrition needs, non-adherence to ART, experience of disfiguring side effects of ARVs, inconsistent condom use, experience of stigma and discrimination, depression, difficulty in accepting and coping with ARVs, lowered self-esteem, a negative influence of some religions on ART, a lack of financial support, poor support systems, poor understanding of ARVs, negative thoughts about HIV and AIDS and ART, an unsatisfactory health care delivery system, a negative influence of culture on ART, and violation of the rights of PLWHA. These challenges negatively influence the QOL of PLWHA and hence the study concluded that PLWHA in Swaziland who are on ART have a poor QOL. Conclusions drawn from the data analysis reveal that PLWHA in Swaziland are powerless to deal with the above challenges and improve their QOL. The researcher, therefore, developed guidelines to empower PLWHA to deal with these challenges and adhere to ART, thus improving their QOL. Recommendations were made with regard to nursing practice, nursing education, and further nursing research. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

This study aimed at exploring the influence of the home environment of women that were on the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programme for HIV/AIDS. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted to explore the home environment for the psycho-social support that was available for women on the PMTCT programme and the influence this had on compliance to the programme. Data collection was done using a semi-structured interview guide, with a sample size of 14 participants (n=14). The data was then coded and grouped into categories and major themes. The findings revealed that the common barriers that prevented full disclosure of an HIV positive status included stigma and discrimination, fear of social isolation and financial dependence. A major constraint that affected the women’s full utilisation of the PMTCT preventative strategies and their adherence to treatment was the poor acceptance of people living with HIV in the family and community / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Theological positions are usually considered as coterminous with ethical considerations. That which the Church has earnestly considered in the light of what is believed to be God's will, as elucidated in religious texts and through prayerful contemplation, are considered to be ethical without contradiction. Recently the Roman Catholic Church adopted a position forbidding the use of condoms as protection from contracting HIV/AIDS. Instead, the Church has declared that the way to controlling the AIDS pandemic is via sexual abstinence for the unmarried and sexual faithfulness within marriage. It is acknowledged that it is not possible for all the church's theological positions to be driven by pragmatic concerns within society. Nor can a church easily be seen to be promoting sex outside of marriage by recommending the indiscriminate use of condoms. However, the Roman Catholic Church, by forbidding the use of contraception, puts itself in an ethically questionable light relative to other Christian churches. The Catholic Church needs to reconsider its stance on contraception from first principles, divorced from dogmatic beliefs and practices which were derived by men and which have endured beyond their usefulness or theological veracity. It is evident that a church should not adhere to dogmas that are ungodly in their impact and ethically questionable in their import. If a church needs to revise its dogmatic stance on such issues, it should have the courage to do so. This research considers whether the stance of the Catholic Church on condoms can be considered ethical. The position of the Catholic Church is considered critically from a variety of philosophical, empirical and ethical viewpoints. In so doing, it highlights the principled and practical problems of resolving differing moral positions that cross the religious and secular divide. The approach adopted is one of an applied ethical nature, given the probable effects of participating in unprotected sex. Pregnancy and contracting HIV/AIDS are the likely outcomes of not using condoms, and these conditions will create enormous problems for the individual concerned, her, or his, family, as well as for the greater society. The position taken in this research is that the Catholic Church's stand on abstinence before marriage and faithfulness in marriage, as the answer to the HIV/AIDS crisis, would be a realistic ethical position, if, and only if, it was at all feasible and realisable in practice. However, it is the contention of the author, based on empirical considerations, that the idealistic stance taken by the Catholic Church is out of touch with the realities in our contemporary South African society and is doomed to failure. Given this perspective, the Catholic stance is morally questionable, as, if sexual relationships continue to occur outside of marriage, and if condoms are not used, the result will be unwanted pregnancies, HIV infections of both mothers and their babies, crises for families and society at large, and ultimately widespread death from AIDS. Given the pandemic facing South Africa, the Catholic position in banning the use of condoms, is ethically questionable and morally suspect. The Church needs to be called to account for the implications of its dogmatic stance. The HIV/AIDS pandemic is simply too serious for a public institution, such as the Catholic Church, to be involved in perpetuating theological niceties and holding idealised positions. The Church is not divorced from the society it exists in and a realistic, responsible and accountable response is needed in the current context of hundreds of thousands of persons facing death from AIDS and its related diseases. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Teologiese standpunte word gewoonlik beskou as gelyktermig met etiese oorwegings. Dit wat die Kerk met erns beskou het word sonder weerspreking as eties aanvaar in die geloof dat dit die wil van God is wat belig word in religieuse geskrifte en deur gebedsoordenking. Onlangs het die Rooms-Katolieke Kerk 'n standpunt aanvaar wat die gebruik van kondome verbied as beskermingsmiddel teen MIV/VIGS-besmetting. Daarteenoor het die Kerk verklaar dat die VIGS-pandemie beheer moet word via seksuele weerhouding vir ongetroudes en seksuele getrouheid binne die huwelik. Daar word toe gegee dat dit nie moontlik is om al die die kerk se teologiese standpunte aan pragmatiese kwellinge binne die gemeenskap te onderwerp nie. Daarmee saam kan die kerk ook nie buite-huwelikse seks aanmoedig deur aan te beveel dat kondome onoordeelkundig benut word nie. Relatief tot ander Christelike kerke plaas die Rooms- Katolieke Kerk homself egter in 'n etiese bevraagtekenbare posisie deur die gebruik van voorbehoedmiddels te verbied. Die Katolieke Kerk behoort sy standpunt oor geboortebeperking te heroorweeg in die lig van primêre prinsiepe - geskei van dogmatiese oortuigings en bedrywe wat deur mense bedink is en wat hulle bestaansreg as nuttigheid of teologiese waarheid oorskrei. Dit is duidelik dat 'n kerk nie dogmas behoort aan te hang wat onverantwoord in haar impak en eties bevraagtekenbaar in hulle belangrikheid is nie. Indien 'n kerk sy dogmatiese standpunte oor sulke sake moet hersien, behoort dit die moed te hê om dit te doen. Hierdie navorsing skenk oorweging aan die vraag of die Katolieke Kerk se standpunt oor kondome as eties beskou kan word. Die posisie van die Katolieke Kerk word krities beskou vanuit 'n verskeidenheid filosofiese, empiriese en etiese standpunte. Dit verlig die beginsels en praktiese probleme wat verband hou met die resolusie van die verskillende morele posisies wat die kloof tussen die religieuse en sekulêre moet oorbrug. Die benadering wat benut word is van 'n toegepas etiese aard, gegewe die waarskynlike gevolge van deelname aan onbeskermde seks. Swangerskap en besmetting met MIV /VIGS is die waarskynlike resultate indien kondome nie benut word nie. Dit lei gevolglik tot enorme probleme vir die betrokke individu, familie en die breër samelewing. Die aanspraak van hierdie navorsing is dat die Katolieke Kerk se standpunt - dat weerhouding van seks voor die huwelik en getrouheid binne die huwelik as antwoord dien vir die MIV /VIGS krisis - 'n realistiese etiese posisie verteenwoordig indien, en slegs indien, dit toepasbaar en haalbaar binne die praktyk is. Dit is egter die bewering van hierdie skrywer, gebaseer op empiriese oorwegings, dat die idealisriese standpunt van die Katolieke Kerk uit voeling is met die realiteite van ons kontemporêre Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing en dat dit gedoem is tot mislukking. Gege hierdie perspektief, word dit duidelik dat die Katolieke standpunt moreel verdag is, veral as in gedagte gehou word dat - indien seksuele verhoudings buite huweliksverband voortduur en kondome nie gebruik word nie - die resultaat onbeplande swangerskap, MIV besmetting van beide moeders en babas, krisisse vir families en die samelewing en uiteindelik wydverspreide sterftes as gevolg van VIGS sal wees. Gegewe die pandemie wat Suid-Afrika in die gesig staar word die Katolieke standpunt waarin die gebruik van kondome verbied word eties bevraagtekenbaar asook moreel verdag. Die Kerk moet tot verantwoording geroep word vir die implikasies van sy dogmatiese standpunt. Die MIV /VIGS'pandemie is eenvoudig te ernstig vir 'n openbare instansie soos die Katolieke Kerk om betrokke te bly in die voorsetting van teologiese kieskeurigheid en die verkondiging van geïdealiseerde standpunte. Die Kerk is nie los van die samelewing waarbinne dit bestaan nie en 'n realistiese, verantwoordelike en toerekenbare respons word benodig binne die huidige konteks waarbinne honderde duisende mense dood as gevolg van VIGS in die gesig staar.

Voluntary HIV counselling and testing (VHCT) is one of the key strategies in the prevention of HIV in Ethiopia. However, utilization of the VHCT services among adolescents has been reported as low by previous studies. The purpose of this study was to investigate adolescents’ knowledge and attitudes towards VHCT services among adolescents attending high school in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. A cross-sectional school-based design using quantitative methods was employed to attain the objectives of the study. Data collection was done using self-administered structured questionnaires among 378 adolescent high school students. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings revealed that 75.7% of students are aware of the voluntary HIV counselling and testing services; 62.2% use the services and suggested that VHCT services should be located in schools and youth clubs for better access by adolescents. Thirty-two percent of respondents rated themselves at risk of HIV infection and 35.2% were not willing to disclose their HIV positive status to anybody. The findings of the study clearly indicate a need for a more accessible voluntary HIV counselling and testing services for adolescents. / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study aims to explore the existing knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding HIV/AIDS among Congolese refugees living in Cape Town in order to create awareness and suggest possible measures to avert the spread of the pandemic among them. The target population are Congolese refugees living in Cape Town, with a refugee or an asylum seeker status. Due to the total population and difficulties in contacting them, the participants (50) were randomly selected among traders and hair dressers. The study used a quantitative research design. The Desk Top Market train station in Cape Town is an open market place where most Congolese traders sell their goods to the public. The data were collected at this market area in Cape Town using a questionnaire. To avoid any possible discrimination or stigmatisation resulting from being identified as a refugee in the study, the Congolese were contacted from the market place without screening them on the basis of their status. The participants were, however, required to tick their status in a box provided on the questionnaire. Furthermore, strict confidentiality was maintained to avoid the possible stigmatisation arising from the Congolese traders’ refugee status. According to the findings Congolese refugees have knowledge about HIV/AIDS and the route of transmission. The majority knows how to protect themselves against HIV/AIDS but it seems this protection discontinue shortly after a quick trust between them and their partners. It is may be because most refugees are in need of financial protection on their arrival so they do not have any other choice than to let it go. During the process of data collection there was an opportunity to discuss with some of them protection and most of them stated that condom use is not safe as condoms breaks often. Many Congolese do not believe in male circumcision for the reduction of risk because 100% of them are circumcised and some still have contracted HIV/AIDS. Some of Congolese does believe HIV can be cured because they have seen people who were cured through prayers. The findings also indicate the level of awareness is very low in this community because they still believe they can just by looking at other individuals they can detect if someone is HIV positive or not. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie was daarop toegespits om die bestaande kennis, houdings en praktyke met betrekking tot MIV/vigs onder Kongolese vlugtelinge in Kaapstad te ondersoek ten einde bewustheid te wek en moontlike maatreëls voor te stel om te keer dat die pandemie onder hulle versprei. Die teikenpopulasie was Kongolese wat in Kaapstad woon en oor vlugteling- of asielsoekerstatus beskik. Weens die groot omvang van die ondersoekpopulasie en uitdagings om met hulle in verbinding te tree, het die navorser lukraak vyftig (50) deelnemers uit die geledere van handelaars en haarkappers gekies. Die data is met behulp van ’n vraelys by die Desk Top-mark op Kaapstad-stasie ingesamel. Die studie het van ’n kwantitatiewe navorsingsontwerp gebruik gemaak. Die Desk Top-mark by Kaapstad-stasie is ’n buitelugmark waar die meeste Kongolese handelaars hul goedere aan die publiek verkoop. Om te voorkom dat enigeen wat in die studie as ’n vlugteling geïdentifiseer word enige moontlike diskriminasie of stigma ervaar, het die navorser voor die voet onderhoude met Kongolese by die mark gevoer sonder om hulle na hul verblyfstatus uit te vra. Die deelnemers moes egter hul status op die vraelys aandui deur die toepaslike blokkie te merk. Voorts is streng vertroulikheid gehandhaaf om enige moontlike stigma vanweë die respondente se vlugtelingstatus te voorkom. Die bevindinge toon dat Kongolese vlugtelinge wél oor ’n mate van kennis van MIV/vigs en die verspreiding daarvan beskik. Die meeste respondente weet hoe om hulself teen MIV/vigs te beskerm, hoewel daardie beskerming oënskynlik gestaak word kort nadat hulle ’n vertrouensverhouding met hul bedmaats ontwikkel. Dít kan daaraan toegeskryf word dat die meeste vlugtelinge met hul aankoms in die land finansiële beskerming nodig het en dus nie anders kan as om veilige sekspraktyke te laat vaar indien hul bedmaats daarop aandring nie. Gedurende die proses van data-insameling was daar geleentheid vir gesprek met die respondente, waaruit geblyk het dat kondoomgebruik na hulle mening nie juis veilig is nie, aangesien kondome dikwels breek. Min Kongolese glo dat manlike besnydenis die gevaar van MIV/vigs verminder, aangesien hulle almal besny is, maar sommige steeds MIV/vigs opdoen. Sommige glo dat MIV/vigs genees kan word, omdat hulle getuies was van hoe mense deur gebed gesond geword het. Die bevindinge dui ook op ’n baie lae bewustheidsvlak in hierdie gemeenskap: Baie glo steeds dat ’n mens met die blote oog kan bepaal of iemand MIV-positief is of nie.

The purpose of the study was to describe the support services available for nurses who care for patients with human immunodeficiency virus / acquired immune-deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in Pretoria urban pubic hospitals. Problems faced by nurses in HIV/AIDS care support preferences were also investigated. The study was conducted between March and April 2003, using a descriptive design. Respondents comprised eighty-seven (87) nurses who were conveniently selected from five (5) hospitals. Results reveal that support available is inadequate in both quality and coverage of nurses. Other significant findings are inadequate job preparation, shortage of nurses and that nurses prefer to receive support from both within and outside the hospital. It has been recommended that management should work with nurses to design support interventions that match the identified problems/needs. Nurses need to take an active role in caring for themselves and more in-service training opportunities need to be created for nurses. / Health Studies / MA (Health Studies)