This study describes the HIV/AIDS knowledge of Form 1 secondary school learners in Harare. Structured interviews were conducted with 75 learners from four schools representing a low density, a high density, a rural and a private school. Most learners had obtained their HIVAIDS knowledge from schools and a few did so from their parents. None of the learners had reportedly yet engaged in sexual activities and all had heard about HIV, but not all knew what HIV was, and even fewer could define AIDS. Generally the learners’ HIV/AIDS knowledge levels were high but some misconceptions persisted. Future programmes should emphasise that there is no cure for HIV/AIDS, and that condoms should be used at every sexual encounter. Radio, television and school programmes should emphasise that every person can become infected with HIV/AIDS, if preventive measures are disregarded. / Public Health / M.A. (Public Health)

In Zimbabwe, translation studies is yet to be recognized as a discipline worthy of study in its own right, hence, not much research has been carried out into the theory and practice of translation. Furthermore, there is no tertiary institution that offers professional translation courses. In light of this information most translations are carried out by untrained/partially trained translators with only a few translators who have gained experience over time. The aim of this study was to investigate strategies used by Ndebele translators in the translation of specialized terms and cultural taboos in selected HIV/AIDS texts, as well as factors that can be used to improve the translation situation of Zimbabwe. Three main theoretical approaches were used in a complementary fashion, namely Descriptive Translation Studies (DTS), Cultural Studies and Corpus-based Translation Studies (CTS). DTS provided the researcher with a theory to understand the Ndebele translations in their wider environment; Cultural Studies provided the researcher with the means by which to understand Ndebele culture and taboos; Corpus-based Translation Studies (CTS) provided the researcher with the methodological tools and analytical techniques to analyse the corpus of texts. An English-Ndebele Parallel Corpus (ENPC) was created using fourteen English source texts and their corresponding Ndebele translations. The ENPC was interrogated by means of ParaConc, a parallel concordancing program. The study found that when translating specialised terms, Ndebele translators used strategies such as a general or neutral word, cultural substitution, paraphrasing and omission. The strategy of omission was misused in most cases because Ndebele translators omitted valuable information which did not reach the target readers. With regards to translation strategies that contributed to term creation, it was found that Ndebele translators relied on external as well as internal resources. The translators used strategies such as pure loan words; pure loan words preceeded by an explanation and indigenised loan words. From the Ndebele language itself, the translators resorted to semantic shift, compounding, coinage and paraphrasing, among others. From the ENPC it is clear that Ndebele translators did manage to transfer the message from English to Ndebele to an extent. However, the ENPC has to be used with caution by other researchers since the translations included in the corpus are full of errors such as misinterpretations of the source texts, mistranslations, incorrect terms and incorrect orthography. This factor points to a dire need to establish translation as an academic discipline and profession in Zimbabwe so as to elevate the quality of translations and offer better translation services to all users.

MPH / Department of Public Health / Background: Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is one of the major public health problems that has negatively impacted mostly orphans leaving in child-headed families in the world. A child- headed family is defined as a family, living under the same roof, which is headed by a person under the age of 18 years. Many of these children have become heads of households and they are obliged to look after themselves and siblings. As a result, some children drop out from school while looking for jobs to sustain the family. Purpose: The purpose of the study is to explore and describe the experiences of children in HIV/AIDS-affected child-headed families in Zimbabwe. Methodology: The researcher employed qualitative approach with explorative, descriptive, contextual and phenomenological designs. Nonprobability purposive sampling was used to select the participant. Children aged between 12-18 years were selected as they were able to narrate their life experiences. In-depth face to face individual interviews were used to collect data pertaining to experiences of children in HIV/AIDS child-headed families. Data was transcribed verbatim, and then translated from Shona to English. The data was then analysed following Tesch’s eight steps model. Findings: The findings of the study revealed that children in HIV/AIDS-affected child-headed families were lacking basic commodities such as food, clothing, shelter and clean water. The findings also revealed that children living in HIV/AIDS-affected child-headed families were being abused physically, sexually, emotionally and verbally. The findings of the study also revealed that children living in HIV/AIDS-affected child-headed families received support from the government, non-governmental organisations, community and relatives. / NRF

Antiretroviral drugs were introduced into Uganda during the past decade and have revolutionised the treatment of AIDS. However, in as much as success was recorded, new challenges emerged. One such challenge was the continued use of condoms. This study investigated existing knowledge, attitudes and practices of condom use in a time of highly active antiretroviral therapy in a rural area. A quantitative, cross sectional design, with probability sampling form the general population was utilised. A self-designed questionnaire was used to collect data which was then analysed at the descriptive statistics level. The results indicated that: knowledge of HIV, its transmission, condoms and antiretroviral drugs were high among the respondents; condom acceptance and use were low; and respondents would not intentionally engage in unprotected sexual intercourse because of availability of ARVs. However it was acknowledged that some people taking ARVs have engaged in risky sexual behaviours that would expose others to infection. / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

Antiretroviral drugs were introduced into Uganda during the past decade and have revolutionised the treatment of AIDS. However, in as much as success was recorded, new challenges emerged. One such challenge was the continued use of condoms. This study investigated existing knowledge, attitudes and practices of condom use in a time of highly active antiretroviral therapy in a rural area. A quantitative, cross sectional design, with probability sampling form the general population was utilised. A self-designed questionnaire was used to collect data which was then analysed at the descriptive statistics level. The results indicated that: knowledge of HIV, its transmission, condoms and antiretroviral drugs were high among the respondents; condom acceptance and use were low; and respondents would not intentionally engage in unprotected sexual intercourse because of availability of ARVs. However it was acknowledged that some people taking ARVs have engaged in risky sexual behaviours that would expose others to infection. / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) is vital in the management of HIV/AIDS as it is the first step in treatment, care and behavioural change. Entrenched economic and gender inequities drive an increasingly feminized HIV/AIDS pandemic. This study investigated factors influencing VCT attendance by women in the Glen View high density suburb in Harare. A survey methodology was followed using a semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire that was distributed to randomly selected women of reproductive ages in the area. The analysis showed that VCT usage is low and that factors such as fear of the consequences of testing positive for HIV, such as violence and rejection by male partners are to blame. Importantly, the findings suggest that if the vulnerability of women is not addressed, then increased VCT uptake and better reproductive health outcomes for women are also unlikely. / Sociology / M.A. (Social Behaviour Studies in HIV/AIDS)

This study was an attempt to investigate the influence of socio-cultural factors on HIV prevention strategies among HIV discordant couples in Harare, Zimbabwe. HIV sero-discordance is a scenario whereby one partner is HIV-positive and the other is HIV-negative. HIV sero-discordant couples are a unique and vulnerable population that encounters many peculiar challenges. When dealing with this population, researchers have to deal with contradictory ideas and perceptions presented by each partner making up the couples and also understand the relationship in the context of cultural values, norms and the dynamic of power and oppression. In addition to this, the concept of HIV sero-discordance and the frequency of its occurrence are poorly understood in most African communities. Despite the growing evidence of HIV discordance, HIV prevention strategies have largely focused on clinical aspects at the expense of socio-cultural issues that impact on HIV prevention strategies targeted at HIV sero- discordant couples. The study seeks to contribute to the conceptualization and design of intervention programs dealing with sero-discordance. The study is underpinned by the symbolic interactionism theory and was qualitative in design involving 13 HIV discordant couples in heterosexual relationships enrolled in the HIV Preventions Trials Network 052 Study (HPTN 052 Study) being undertaken by the University of Zimbabwe’s department of medicine. The study utilized 2 Focus Group Discussions (FGD) and 10 in-depth interviews (IDI) to collect data. The study’s findings indicate that discordant couples are in fact critical stakeholders in the uptake of all the available HIV prevention strategies. Failure to acknowledge this tenet is self-defeating as evidenced by the perception of viewing condom use within a marriage as humiliating for a woman. The study further noted that practitioners in the HIV prevention domain must guard against over-relying on the scientifically demonstrated efficacy of the strategies. The study recommends that HIV prevention strategies must be socially and culturally acceptable and embedded for them to be more efficacious. / Sociology / M.A. (Social Behaviour Studies in HIV and AIDS)

The study examined the sexual and reproductive health needs of adolescents infected with HIV and AIDS. This was a qualitative study that involved semi-structured interviews and observation. The sampling method used was purposive and it entailed 10 adolescents (4 boys and 6 girls) who are living with HIV at Chiedza Child Care Centre in Zimbabwe. This study revealed that adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health needs are the desire to have sex, desire to have children, the need for prevention of unwanted pregnancy and care and treatment support. However, their knowledge of HIV and AIDS was inadequate. Adolescents also revealed their lack of proper information regarding their health care and treatment needs. However, adolescents illustrated an adequate knowledge of the services available for them for their health, treatment and care needs. The study recommended that there is need to strengthen the provision of information and services on adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health issues. The study also recommended that counsellors should improve their counselling skills so that they can empower adolescents living with HIV to be able to negotiate condom usage, matters of dating and handling relationships. / Sociology / M. A. (Social Behaviour Studies in HIV and AIDS)

This study was an attempt to investigate the influence of socio-cultural factors on HIV prevention strategies among HIV discordant couples in Harare, Zimbabwe. HIV sero-discordance is a scenario whereby one partner is HIV-positive and the other is HIV-negative. HIV sero-discordant couples are a unique and vulnerable population that encounters many peculiar challenges. When dealing with this population, researchers have to deal with contradictory ideas and perceptions presented by each partner making up the couples and also understand the relationship in the context of cultural values, norms and the dynamic of power and oppression. In addition to this, the concept of HIV sero-discordance and the frequency of its occurrence are poorly understood in most African communities. Despite the growing evidence of HIV discordance, HIV prevention strategies have largely focused on clinical aspects at the expense of socio-cultural issues that impact on HIV prevention strategies targeted at HIV sero- discordant couples. The study seeks to contribute to the conceptualization and design of intervention programs dealing with sero-discordance. The study is underpinned by the symbolic interactionism theory and was qualitative in design involving 13 HIV discordant couples in heterosexual relationships enrolled in the HIV Preventions Trials Network 052 Study (HPTN 052 Study) being undertaken by the University of Zimbabwe’s department of medicine. The study utilized 2 Focus Group Discussions (FGD) and 10 in-depth interviews (IDI) to collect data. The study’s findings indicate that discordant couples are in fact critical stakeholders in the uptake of all the available HIV prevention strategies. Failure to acknowledge this tenet is self-defeating as evidenced by the perception of viewing condom use within a marriage as humiliating for a woman. The study further noted that practitioners in the HIV prevention domain must guard against over-relying on the scientifically demonstrated efficacy of the strategies. The study recommends that HIV prevention strategies must be socially and culturally acceptable and embedded for them to be more efficacious. / Sociology / M.A. (Social Behaviour Studies in HIV and AIDS)

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) constitute an important source of livelihood for most poor rural households and communities in Zimbabwe. NTFPs also serve as a vital livelihood safety net in times of hardship. An important feature of this dependence is that almost all NTFPs are deemed to have ‘public good’ characteristics, with no exclusive property rights. Consequently, extraction is often intense and exhaustive because of lack of alternative income sources, unreliable productivity and weak enforcement of institutional arrangements governing NTFPs use. In recent years, with HIV/AIDS rampant in Zimbabwe, there are indications of a rapid increase in the extraction of NTFPs, mostly from common property resources. Appropriate natural resources policies need to be based on comprehensive research, yet to date scant attention has been paid to understanding the role of NTFPs in mitigating the predicaments of HIV/AIDS-affected households in Zimbabwe. The main objective of this study was to determine the types of and need for natural resource management interventions to help ensure the sustainability of local responses to HIV/AIDS. The research focused on five communities of Sengwe Communal in the Chiredzi district, Zimbabwe. Multistage cluster sampling was used to select ten villages and households for the survey. Two villages from each community, representing the most and the least affected by epidemic were selected for each community using stratified random sampling. A cluster analysis was used to improve understanding of the challenges of rural livelihoods and how households diversify their livelihood strategies to cope with the various constraints. Five dominant groups based on their livelihood diversification patterns were identified : (1) smallholders/unskilled workers; (2) subsistence smallholder/non-timber forestry products harvesters; (3) crop production and non-timber forestry products extraction integrators; (4) commercial smallholders with regular off-farm employment; and (5) specialised commercial livestock producers. Multinomial logit model results showed that the level of education of the household head, the value of physical assets, cattle numbers and income, remittances, NTFPs income and economic shocks were the main determinants of these livelihood choices. Empirical evidence also revealed that households that were statistically significantly affected by HIV/AIDS economic shocks practised ‘distress-push’ diversification by extracting NTFPs. These results suggest that policy makers need to advise rural households on how to improve their risk management capacities and move from geographically untargeted investments in livelihood assets to a more integrated approach adapted to the asset base of individual households. Using panel data from 200 households in 2008 and 2009, regression models revealed that NTFPs extraction is an important ex-post coping mechanism for many HIV/AIDS-afflicted households. The results also revealed that the main determinants of livelihood strategy choices were differences in asset endowment, especially education, land and livestock and the impact of the shock. Asset constraints compelled diversification into lower-return activities such as NTFPs extraction. Findings from a comparative analysis of HIV/AIDS-afflicted and non-afflicted households showed that HIV/AIDS-afflicted households were relatively young, with relatively few physical and livestock assets. A fixed-effect Tobit model indicated a positive significant relationship between HIV staging and quantity of NTFPs extracted. The relatively young, poorly educated households with low household coping capacity in terms of livestock value relied more on the natural insurance of forests in buffering HIV/AIDS economic shocks. These results have important policy implications for development planners, conservationists and non-governmental organisations working in the region. There is a need for programmes that reduce pressure on forest resources, and improved access to education and health care, thus helping the poor to cope with the HIV/AIDS economic crisis. This study also examined the extent to which forest degradation is driven by existing common property management regimes, resource and user characteristics, ecological knowledge and marketing structure. A Principal Component Analysis indicated that the existence of agreed-upon rules governing usage (including costs of usage), enforcement of these rules, sanctions for rule violations that are proportional to the severity of rule violation, social homogeneity, and strong beliefs in ancestral spirits were the most important attributes determining effectiveness of local institutions in the management of Common Pool Resources (CPRs). Empirical results from an ordinary least regression analysis showed that resource scarcity, market integration index, and infrastructural development lead to greater forest resource degradation, while livestock income, high ecological knowledge, older households, and effective local institutional management of the commons reduce forest resource degradation. The results suggest that there is a need for adaptive local management systems that enhance ecological knowledge of users and regulates market structure to favour long-term livelihood securities of these forest-fringe communities. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.