Currently, HIV/AIDS is one of the greatest threats to child survival in South Africa. It is estimated that approximately 6000 newborn babies become infected with the HIV virus monthly i.e. approximately 200 babies per day. During a 24 month period (October 1999 &ndash / October 2001), a descriptive prevalence study of the oro-facial manifestations affecting HIV-positive children was conducted in the Cape Peninsula, South Africa. The study population consisted of 268 vertically infected HIV-positive children. The study was motivated by the lack of data regarding oral mucosal lesions in children with vertically acquired HIV-infection.<br /> <br /> The study design was descriptive, and the population included consecutive, vertically infected HIV-positive patients sourced from out-patient clinics, hospital wards and special child-care facilities. The children were examined once consent was obtained from caregivers. The findings were documented using data capturing sheets. The data was captured on the Microsoft Excel program and analysed using the Epi 2000 program. The results indicated that a large proportion of HIV-infected children presented with orofacial manifestations at some stage during the course of HIV-infection. Oro-facial manifestations were observed in 70.1% of the study population. The prevalence of the most commonly observed manifestations were: oral candidiasis, 38.8% / parotid gland enlargement, 10.8% / oral ulceration, 5.6% / molluscum contagiosum, 7.8% / periodontal conditions, 3.4% / and herpes simplex infection, 0.7%.It can be concluded that in this sample of HIV-infected children, the prevalence of orofacial manifestations is higher than, and comparable with the findings of similar studies conducted in other regions of the world.

The aim of this study was to investigate met and unmet palliative care needs for people living with HIV/AIDS in selected areas in Rwanda. The achieve this aim, the study, firstly, identified the palliative care needs of people living with HIV/AIDS, secondly, it identified the health care services available to meet these needs, and thirdly, it determined the extent to which palliative care needs were met.

The way gender relations influence access to care and treatment particularly access to antiretroviral medicines is a challenge to HIV/AIDS programmes and to the individuals and families with HIV. Gender norms that push women and men to adhere to dominant ideals of femininity and masculinity may restrict women's access to economic resources, health care and fuel the spread of HIV. The aim of this study was to determine the role of gender relations in influencing decision-making for access to antiretroviral medicines between partners and in the family.

<p>The purpose of this study is to gain a greater understanding of the perceptions and barriers that influence condom use amongst male and female students at the Polytechnic of Namibia (Technical Vocational Education &amp / Training Department). The specific objectives of this study include the following: To obtain a better understanding of knowledge amongst students about the correct use of condoms. To identify some of the problems students have in accessing condoms. To identify the common sources of information regarding condoms, the common perceptions that exist about condoms, and the extent to which students discuss condoms with others.</p>

<p>In recent publications and reports it has been outlined that HIV/AIDS is growing rapidly in the rural communities and the levels of poverty are on the increase. HIV/AIDS has been viewed to have a disastrous impact in almost every sphere of life, affecting the business sector, employment/unemployment, poverty, marginalizing a section of the population and tearing families apart. The study was aimed at exploring more issues that evolved around HIV/AIDS and poverty and also to determine if HIV/AIDS can be closely linked to poverty, because it has been reported that these two strongly affected each other.</p>

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: multiple therapeutic categories of medicines have been increasingly targeted for counterfeiting. According to Van Niekerk [Van Niekerk, Anton. (2001). Moral and social complexities of AIDS in Africa. University of Stellenbosch], “it is commonplace to identify and bewail a plethora of problems in the developing world generally, and in Africa in particular. Poverty, illiteracy, famine, political instability, natural disasters, and many more misfortunes dominate the history of this part of the world over the past 50 years. It was therefore adding uncalled (undeserved?) insult to already overwhelming injury when HIV/AIDS visibly struck the world since mid-1980. In spite of all the other calamities that Africa has to deal with, it nevertheless is no exaggeration to claim that HIV/AIDS nowadays constitutes the most serious health and social crisis and challenge that has ever befallen the continent”. Similar patterns involving HIV/AIDS are now emerging on other continents. One objective of this recent research study was to explore possible relationships between the growing scourges of the worldwide counterfeiting of medicines and parallels with the expanding global HIV/AIDS pandemic - as well as to examine potential relationships and risks associated with other diseases that have been observed to have ‘special associations’ with HIV and AIDS [e.g. sexually transmitted infections (STI’s), Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria] - and possible impact on the “World of Work”. A second and important objective was to develop Recommendations for Workplace Programs. The information gathered has also been used to propose future studies regarding HIV/AIDS and counterfeiting. In the developing world, antibiotics and anti-parasitic medicines are included among the counterfeiters’ favorite targets. Strong parallels exist between locations where counterfeiting of medicines is taking place/product being distributed/sold and where HIV/AIDS is most prevalent and/or where the epidemic is expanding progressively. Counterfeiting of medicines used for treating HIV/AIDS raises the possibility of additional future complications developing in managing other global diseases such as Malaria and Tuberculosis, not to mention exacerbating the potential for developing resistance and encouraging mutation of the HI virus itself. It is also noteworthy that certain medical devices have also been found to be counterfeit. Global demographics and with particular reference to projected growth rates of populations of the developing world are of specific relevance to this subject of anticounterfeiting and medicines used for the treatment of HIV and AIDS. Indeed, next generations of humanity appear to be at unnecessary risk of being caught up in a confluence of forces whereby the practice of the counterfeiting of medicines could result in significant complications and unforeseen consequences regarding management of the global HIV/AIDS crisis. Following the research, recommendations for workplace programs were developed. The research study concludes with a comprehensive set of references. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die problamatiek aangaande die vervalsing (namaak) van medisyne word nou wereldwyd ervaar en het ‘n impak op beide die geindustrialiseerde en die ontwikkelende wereld. Menige medisyne in terapeutiese kategoriee is tot op hede as vervals geidentifeseer, met die direkte resultaat dat hulle ‘n minemale of geen terapeutiese uitwerking het nie. Wat nog erger is, is dat hierdie middels uiters gevaarlik is om te gebruik en selfs lewensgevaarlik kan wees. Dit is van groot betekenis dat ook medisyne wat bestem is om persone met HIV/VIGS te behandel, as vervals aangetoon is – en soedoende tot nog toe onbekende gevolge vir pasiente, die werkomgewing en ongekende risiko’s vir wereldwye gesondheidsorg en internasionale veiligheid en sekuriteit inhou. In hierdie studie word die onderwerp in taamlike besonderhede bestudeer en daar word afgesluit met aanbevelings oor programme in die werkplek wat ontwerp is om sorg en ondersteuning te bied aan werkers met HIV/VIGS. Verdere studie word ook aanbeveel om die tergende probleme wat volg op die vervalsing van medisyne in die behandling van persone met HIV/VIGS, en die implikasies hiervan, die hoof te bide.

A total of 425 questionnaire-based interviews and 15 in-depth interviews with FSWs in Nepal including non-participant observation in the field were conducted in 2006. The age range of the FSWs participated was 15-46 years.  FSWs (30.8%) reported having had STI symptoms in presences 12 month.  The quantitative findings suggested that many reported having used condoms during their last sexual intercourse, but in-depth interviews suggested the opposite.  One fifth (21%) had never visited health facilities.  Of those who visited, 149 (50.3%) turned to a private clinic and pharmacy; 181 (61.1%) used Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) clinics, 79 (26.6%) resorted to care in hospital and 30 (10.1%) treated themselves.  The remainder 85 (28.7%) were found to seek help from primary health care centre, health posts, family planning clinic or other health institutions for treatment.  The behaviour theories and models used in this study (i.e. health belief model, theory of reasoned action and planned behaviour) partly explain the decisions of FSW on use and non-use of available health services.  The study identified that lack of confidentiality and privacy created distrust among FSWs and stopped them from accessing health services.  Embarrassment, disregard by health care providers and poor communication with them, long waiting time and fear of exposure as a sex worker were major barriers to seeking health services. It is therefore necessary to provide specific training to service providers in all types of health care institutions in order to promote confidential and quality health services.

This research focuses on vulnerable children in Swaziland, the country with the highest level of adult HIV prevalence in the world, where nearly 25 percent of children will be orphaned by 2010. It investigates the experiences of relatively poor urban children growing up in the epidemic and the coping strategies the children and their adult carers adopt. Through the lens of both children and adult carers, it explores the ways sexual knowledge is gained and used by older children in the context of HIV/AIDS as well as the experience of coping with widespread bereavement. In this way, it adds to the literature on childhoods in the 'South' and the increasing recognition of the heterogeneity of children's lived experiences. Rather than being seen as passive, the agency of both vulnerable children and their adult carers emerges as they seek to improve their livelihoods. The way this agency connects with government, NGO and community structures is revealed by showing the opportunities for and constraints on gaining access to education and health-care. The interwoven roles of government, international donors, NGOs and civil society is explored by assessing the relative merits of supporting vulnerable children by either welfare assistance to poor families or new forms of 'community' care structures or institutionalised residential care. The critical importance of relationships and power relations between key actors in different organisations and the effect this has on implementation of interventions for children is discussed as well as the relevance of these findings to vulnerable children in other settings.

D.Phil. / The aim of this study is to critically analyse representations of gender and sex in newspaper reports on HIV and AIDS in the hope of improving messaging around HIV and AIDS. Within the scope of this study observations are made at the conclusion of each case study so as to inform prevention campaigns and media on more appropriate ways of representing gender and sex and HIV and AIDS. These observations serve as guidelines to inform journalists and civil society on how better to message HIV and AIDS and sexuality. Mutual recognition is used as the theoretical standpoint for understanding sexuality by emphasizing the premise of respect for self and other. Mutual recognition is used as the critical lens to rethink gender beyond constructions of masculinity and femininity, race, class and sexuality; looking for the moments and opportunities for recognition between both masculine and feminine subjects as well as for narratives on sameness and difference beyond race, class and sexuality. Mutual recognition is also the way forward for resisting phallogocentrism and shifting representation away from the workings of male hegemony. The theoretical framework used in this study is based on feminist psychoanalysis and feminist media interpretation. Special mention is given to the work of Jessica Benjamin, Donna Haraway and Jane Flax; on account of their reception of Freudian theory of the oedipal complex showing ways of rethinking the oedipal complex and gender differentiation. Foucault’s work on representation shows how we can rethink language to better serve the notion of mutual recognition, placing importance on concepts such as respect, responsibility and caring for self and other in ways that go beyond race/ethnicity, class, sex/gender or sexuality. Eros and thanatos (life and death drives) is nuanced to highlight how jouissance or the ‘little death’ (orgasm) is a way of resolving the tension between these opposing drives by shifting discourse away from sex and taboo or death towards sex and pleasure and thus emphasizing eros and mutual recognition. The study is concluded with a set of guidelines for representing gender and sex in relation to HIV and AIDS. It is significant to note that this is a qualitative study that, which makes use of textual analysis and seeks to offer a measure of transparency and accountability to the interpretation of selected texts.

M.Comm.