This research project is based on the key assumption that in order to slow the rate of HIV infections amongst young men (and women) it iscrucial to direct interventions towards changing the constructions of masculinity which put adolescents at risk of HIV infection. As such, this study investigates the constructions of masculinity and masculine identity positions that are evident within the narratives of a small group of young black, white and coloured male university students. The research participants were engaged in a limited number of individual, semi-structured interviews. This report draws attention to the fmdings that have arisen from an analysis of the initial two interviews, the first of which revolved around photographs taken by the participants in order to illustrate what it means to be a young man in contemporary South Africa. An important finding is that there are numerous commonalities as well as differences in the constructions of masculinity that exist amongst these young men. A sense of uncertainty and ambivalence regarding the nature of masculinity is also common. Situated with an emphasised masculinity, various risk-taking behaviours, such as the consumption of alcohol in large quantities, visible affluence, a compulsory heterosexuality, and strength, in diverse forms, are identified as common constructions of masculinity. All of these young men define their sense of masculinity through the adoption of subject positions in relation to and in opposition to young women and other young men. The male peer group is a particularly significant site for masculine identity construction. A further key finding is that a number of these young men are able to reject one or more hegemonic norms of masculinity, yet are apparently able to maintain a sense of masculine acceptability. This finding has direct implications for the design of future research as well as of interventions around HIV/AIDS. As such, this thesis draws attention to the range of strategies utilised by these young men to maintain an adequate sense of masculinity in the face of non-conformance to particular hegemonic norms. Although these young men identify predominantly with the dominant, hegemonic norms of masculinity, there are multiple, often contradictory, subject positions that they occupy in relation to these norms and standards. As a result, this study raises questions for those involvedin similar research as well as for those designing interventions in the field of HIV/AIDS prevention. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.

This research undertook to establish how the YMG in KWT circuit become fruitfully involved in the prevention of HIV and AIDS. It is argued here that the YMG is strategically situated in the church to address issues in the Xhosa-Christian culture that exacerbate the spread of HIV. These include issues like maleness and gender inequality, safer sex practices and the place of condoms and the promotion of sex ethics. The YMG is historically a centre for peer education, resilience in suffering, and morale building. It was the YMG that enabled the church to stand and strategise against apartheid. It is therefore a suitable space for Aids debate, education, and strategising on prevention methods. The YMG is also a well-to-do forum for airing the voices of the Xhosa Christian men on AIDS issues. It is, as well, a good support forum for addressing treatment and bereavement in an allempt to demythologise the Aids disease. However, it is the submission of this research that the YMG needs certain focusing in order to become fruitfully involved in prevention efforts. It is therefore recommended that the age disparity within the study circles of the YMG be resolved in order to create openness and comradeship. The membership of YMG at the present stretches from 17 years to 70 years. Members of YMG with this age disparity cannot talk freely on sexuality and HIV unless the groupings are systematised. There is also the need to bring on board such church leaders in the circuit so as to address morality and sexuality within the Methodist doctrinal perspective. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.

This research explores the development of community-based media for HIV/AIDS education and prevention. The theoretical framework for the research was based in semiotic, cultural studies and participatory action research perspectives and is critical of conventional approaches to communication and media production. Conceptual ideas for the media products emerged through interaction with small groups of participants utilising participatory action research and focus group methodology. A series of posters were produced and distributed within the communities studied. The research demonstrates a practicable and replicable methodology for deriving community perspectives around a range of issues and articulating these via small media products. The methodology is relevant to health education, but may also be applicable to a range of community-based initiatives that seek to facilitate social change. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, 1994.

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of PhD (Community Psychology), Faculty of Arts, University of Zululand, 2008. / HIV and AIDS present a catastrophic public health threat that is reaching crisis proportions among adolescents and young adults. There is a need to educate pre adolescent female learners before they reach puberty, as females are especially at risk of contracting HIV because of the interplay of biological, economic and cultural factors. This study explored the nature and extent of the pre-adolescent female learner's knowledge, attitudes and skills regarding HIV and AIDS. An experimental research design, namely, a no-treatment group design with pre test and posttest was applied. An HIV and AIDS prevention intervention programme was designed and implemented. The objectives were to help learners acquire knowledge, attitudes and skills to make informed decisions and practice health promoting behaviours. Life skills, sex and sexuality education and HIV and AIDS as a gendered epidemic were addressed. The science and art of health education was used to frame the intervention and ensured that the learner not only received the correct message but also incorporated it into her repertoire of behaviour. The findings of the study highlighted five critical areas that were vital within an HIV and AIDS education intervention. Firstly, pre adolescent female learners were very interested in sex and sexuality and information on physiological changes during puberty must be disseminated. The issue of morality was attached to sex and sexuality and this reinforced the biopsychosocial and cultural factors that came into play. The importance of peer education was emphasised, as parents were reticent to address these issues. It was found that basic information on all dimensions of HIV and AIDS education was still a powerful tool. It was vital to incorporate more than the ABC messages and look at the social constructs of health promotion and focus on critical thinking and an education for liberation. A manual with a set of guidelines was formulated and presented to educators for use with preadolescent female learners. This would help reduce the casualties of HIV and AIDS, as early intervention would protect a vulnerable group in society.

In this study the impact of the UNISA HIV/AIDS training programme on participants' learning and involvement in their respective communities was explored. The UNISA HIV/AIDS programme comprises Modules 1, 2 and 3. Module 1 focuses on orientation and background to HIV/AIDS Care and Counselling, Module 2 on HIV/AIDS counselling skills and Module 3 on train the trainer in HIV/AIDS education and counselling. This study focused only on Modules 1 and 2. Kirkpatrick's model of evaluating education and training programmes was used as a framework to evaluate the programme. Participants for the study consisted of 116 students who attended the UNISA HIV/AIDS Module 2 workshops between December 2005 and December 2006. The study was conducted in two phases, the first phase during the workshops, where participants were asked to indicate both quantitatively and qualitatively how they experienced Module 1 and Module 2 as well as what they learnt in the two modules. The participants' involvement in HIV/AIDS work prior and post Module 2 training as well as the aspects of the programme that are being applied within their work in the community was assessed during the second phase of the study, which took place during 2007. The results of the study indicate that the programme has successfully equipped participants with the necessary HIV/AIDS information and skills. The programme has further empowered participants to engage in HIV/AIDS education and counselling in their communities. Participants' attitudes towards the disease and towards those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS were challenged, resulting in less stigmatization and discrimination. The programme further challenged participants to start adopting health protective behaviours. The present study concludes that for HIV/AIDS programmes to be effective, they need to include, amongst other things, a well-researched basic HIV/AIDS factual information section, a component on attitudes and one on skills (particularly linked to behaviour change). These should be presented in an interactive way, engaging the participants in active learning. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

This study applied the theory of reasoned action (TRA) and its extension, the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to the design of a workplace HIV/AIDS health promotion programme. The purpose of the study was to determine if the variables of the TRA and TPB would predict intentions to change HIV/AIDS health behaviour, whether a theory-based intervention would result in health behaviour change over time and if there would be any significant health behaviour differences among participants who received a theory-based intervention and those who received an information-only intervention. In a longitudinal, quasi-experimental study, 170 government employees were divided into two groups. One group comprised 92 employees who participated in a HIV/AIDS health promotion workshop based on the theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour. The other group comprised 78 employees who took part in an educational information session about HIV and AIDS. An elicitation study was conducted with a sample of 38 employees from the research population two months prior to the commencement of the study. The findings of the elicitation study informed the design of research questionnaires and an intervention workshop. Both groups of participants (theory-based workshop and information-only workshop) were measured on HIV/AIDS health behaviour intentions and HIV/AIDS health behaviour (condom use, seeking HIV testing and monogamy) across three measurement periods over a six month period. The results of the study showed that the combined theoretical variables predicted intentions to use condoms and to seek HIV testing, with attitudes having the main effect on intentions. There was, however, no significant health behaviour change across the three measurement periods. There were also no health behaviour differences between the two intervention conditions at one month and six months post-intervention. The study concludes that the intervention based on the theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour did not produce health behaviour change. The study also identified barriers to AIDS health behaviour in the South African context that the theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour cannot explain. Ways in which the theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour can be adapted to HIV/AIDS education in collectivist cultures are proposed. / Psychology / Thesis (D. Phil. (Psychology))

Thesis (MPhil)-- University of Stellenbosch, 2000 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: It is a well-known fact that the sub-Saharan Africa is a continent most affected by HIV/AIDS. The HIV/AIDS pandemic has in other words become our disease. For many of us, this fact may be difficult to fully accept. There are elements of prejudice in our reactions. Ignorance and intolerance can be found around the world. Therefore, by presenting the facts about HIV/AIDS, this assignment challenges the misconceptions and focuses on the profound dilemmas confronting society. I think the success in combating the HIV/AIDS pandemic could be found in President Thabo Mbeki's terminology "Partnership against HIV/AIDS". In his speech, the President appealed to both the private and public sectors and all South Africans to work together with greater determination than before to fight against HIV infection and AIDS. Arguably, this was the best speech President Thabo Mbeki ever made on HIV/AIDS on October 9, 1998. Back then, the government seems to have had a direction and led from the front in the battle against HIV/AIDS. The title of this thesis reads: "Ethical perspectives on surveillance and preventive strategies for HIV/AIDS in South Africa". Presently, the South African Government through the Ministry of Health is seriously considering making AIDS a notifiable medical condition. This is a serious and a controversial move that has serious ethical and legal implications that will be discussed. Should partners of HIV-infected individuals be informed? If the answer is on the affirmative, who should inform them? I am also looking at the ethical obligation of health care workers to treat HIV/AIDS patients despite the fear of being accidentally infected. Tough questions need to be asked. Should health workers be informed of the HIV status of every patients they treat? On the other hand, some patients have some fears too that HIV-infected health professionals may infect them. Again, the fundamental ethical concerns related to confidentiality, privacy, the right to treatment will also be discussed. The country is divided on this issue. Ethical principles are directly involved in such a decision, for instance, the principle of confidentiality, respect for autonomy and informed consent. How can the government go about implementing this without disregarding these fundamental ethical requirements?Another ethical issue that comes to mind regarding HIV/AIDS concerns AIDS vaccine trials, which are so far dominantly manufactured in 'developed countries' while subjects of these trials are from 'third world' or 'developing countries '. The ethical concerns here are: How will informed consent be protected, especially where subjects of the trials are not educated and do not understand the terms used? What are the cost-effects or benefits of such trials? What are the risks involved? Together with this, other issues include ethical debates concerning market prices of drugs, which are too expensive for poorer countries and affordable for richer countries. Finally, this work does not treat everything that needs to be dealt with insofar as HIV/AIDS is concerned. However, I hope that this thesis will contribute (in a small way) in making people appreciate the ethical dilemmas that are presented by HIV/AIDS. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Dit is algemeen bekend dat Afrika suid van die Sahara die gebied is met die hoogste voorkoms van MIV/vIGS. Die MIV/VIGS-pandemie het dus ons siekte geword. Dit is vir baie van ons moeilik om hierdie feit te aanvaar, en ons reaksies is dikwels bevooroordeeld. Onkunde en onverdraagsaamheid oor MIV/vIGS word trouens wereldwyd aangetref. Hierdie verhandeling Ie klem op die feite van MIV/VIGS, en konfronteer sodoende hierdie wanopvattings terwyl daar gefokus word op die diepgaande dilemmas waarmee die samelewing gekonfronteer word. President Thabo Mbeki se woorde "Vennootskap teen MIV/VIGS" verwoord myns insiens die enigste oplossing vir die MIV/VIGS-pandemie. Die President doen in sy toespraak 'n beroep op al1e Suid-Afrikaners, in private en openbare sektore, om met groter determinasie saam te veg teen MIV-infeksie en VIGS; Hierdie toespraak, gelewer op 9 Oktober 1998, toe die regering klaarblyklik nog rigting gehad het en op die voorfront was in die styd teen MIV/VIGS, was moontlik President Thabo Mbeki se beste ooit oor die onderwerp MIV/VIGS. Die titel van hierdie verhandeling is "Etiese perspektiewe ten opsigte van waarnemende en voorkomende strategiee vir MIV/VIGS in Suid-Afrika". Die Suid-Afrikaanse regering, by monde van die Ministerie van Gesondheid, oorweeg dit tans sterk om VIGS 'n aanmeldbare mediese kondisie te verklaar. Die ernstige etiese en regsimplikasies van so 'n daadwerklike en kontroversiele stap sal in die verhandeling bespreek word. Behoort die rnetgesel1e van MIV-positiewe persone ingelig te word? Indien wei, wie moet hulle in kennis stel? Daar sal ook gekyk word na die etiese verpligting van gesondheidsorgwerkers om MIV/VIGS-pasiente te behandel ten spyte van hul1e vrees om per ongeluk besmet te word. Indringende vrae moet gevra word. Behoort gesondheidsorgwerkers ingelig te word oor die MIV-status van elke pasient wat hul1e behandel? Aan die ander kant vrees sornmige pasiente dat hul1e deur MIV-positiewe gesondheisorgwerkers besmet kan word. Die fundamentele etiese aangeleenthede rakende vertroulikheid, privaatheid en die reg tot mediese behandeling sal ook bespreek word. Suid-Afrika is verdeeld oor hierdie kwessies. Etiese waardes, soos die beginsel van vertroulikheid, respek vir outonomie en ingeligte goedkeuring is direk betrokke by besluite oor etiese kwessies. Die regering kan nie hierdie aangeleenthede implementeer sonder om die fundamentele etiese vereistes in ag te neem nie. VIGS-entstofproefnemings is'n verdere etiese kwessie wat ter sprake kom. Hierdie proefnemings word grotendeels deur "ontwikkelde" lande uitgevoer, tewyl die proefpersone van "derdewereldse" of "ontwikkelende" lande afkomstig is. Die etiese kwessies hierby betrokke is: hoe sal ingeligte goedkeuring beskerm word, veral wanneer proefpersone onopgevoed is en nie die tersaaklike terme verstaan nie? Wat is die kosteeffektiwiteit of voordele van hierdie proefnemings? Watter risiko's is betrokke? Die etiese debat oor die markprys van medisyne, wat heel bekostigbaar vir ryk lande, maar duur vir armer lande is, word ook aangeraak. Hierdie verhandeling dek nie alle relevante kwessies wat betref MIV/VIGS nie. Tog hoop ek dat dit 'n bydrae sal lewer tot mense se bewuswording van die etiese dilemmas wat MIV/VIGS inhou.

In this study the impact of the UNISA HIV/AIDS training programme on participants' learning and involvement in their respective communities was explored. The UNISA HIV/AIDS programme comprises Modules 1, 2 and 3. Module 1 focuses on orientation and background to HIV/AIDS Care and Counselling, Module 2 on HIV/AIDS counselling skills and Module 3 on train the trainer in HIV/AIDS education and counselling. This study focused only on Modules 1 and 2. Kirkpatrick's model of evaluating education and training programmes was used as a framework to evaluate the programme. Participants for the study consisted of 116 students who attended the UNISA HIV/AIDS Module 2 workshops between December 2005 and December 2006. The study was conducted in two phases, the first phase during the workshops, where participants were asked to indicate both quantitatively and qualitatively how they experienced Module 1 and Module 2 as well as what they learnt in the two modules. The participants' involvement in HIV/AIDS work prior and post Module 2 training as well as the aspects of the programme that are being applied within their work in the community was assessed during the second phase of the study, which took place during 2007. The results of the study indicate that the programme has successfully equipped participants with the necessary HIV/AIDS information and skills. The programme has further empowered participants to engage in HIV/AIDS education and counselling in their communities. Participants' attitudes towards the disease and towards those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS were challenged, resulting in less stigmatization and discrimination. The programme further challenged participants to start adopting health protective behaviours. The present study concludes that for HIV/AIDS programmes to be effective, they need to include, amongst other things, a well-researched basic HIV/AIDS factual information section, a component on attitudes and one on skills (particularly linked to behaviour change). These should be presented in an interactive way, engaging the participants in active learning. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

This study applied the theory of reasoned action (TRA) and its extension, the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to the design of a workplace HIV/AIDS health promotion programme. The purpose of the study was to determine if the variables of the TRA and TPB would predict intentions to change HIV/AIDS health behaviour, whether a theory-based intervention would result in health behaviour change over time and if there would be any significant health behaviour differences among participants who received a theory-based intervention and those who received an information-only intervention. In a longitudinal, quasi-experimental study, 170 government employees were divided into two groups. One group comprised 92 employees who participated in a HIV/AIDS health promotion workshop based on the theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour. The other group comprised 78 employees who took part in an educational information session about HIV and AIDS. An elicitation study was conducted with a sample of 38 employees from the research population two months prior to the commencement of the study. The findings of the elicitation study informed the design of research questionnaires and an intervention workshop. Both groups of participants (theory-based workshop and information-only workshop) were measured on HIV/AIDS health behaviour intentions and HIV/AIDS health behaviour (condom use, seeking HIV testing and monogamy) across three measurement periods over a six month period. The results of the study showed that the combined theoretical variables predicted intentions to use condoms and to seek HIV testing, with attitudes having the main effect on intentions. There was, however, no significant health behaviour change across the three measurement periods. There were also no health behaviour differences between the two intervention conditions at one month and six months post-intervention. The study concludes that the intervention based on the theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour did not produce health behaviour change. The study also identified barriers to AIDS health behaviour in the South African context that the theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour cannot explain. Ways in which the theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour can be adapted to HIV/AIDS education in collectivist cultures are proposed. / Psychology / Thesis (D. Phil. (Psychology))

The study was about the process evaluation of the development of the YOUNG WORKERS CAMPAIGN (YWC) Programme to document and analyses the involvement and participation of stakeholders in the development process. The purpose of the study was on the assessment of stakeholder participation and involvement in the development of the YWC to maximise the effectiveness, acceptability and sustainability of the intended programme. Informant interviews, focus group interviews and document analysis were the primary means of collecting data for this research study. The main findings are as follows: Few of the stakeholders were involved in the conceptualisation phase of the YWC Programme and their roles in the development process were not clearly described. Stakeholder analysis was not done and their involvement in decision-making was limited. In order to address the problem of participation, YWC stakeholders should pass through a process of stakeholder analysis, that is, they should be assessed in terms of contribution and value-adding to the development process. / Sociology / M.A. (Social Behaviour Studies HIV/AIDS)