Magister Artium (Sport, Recreation and Exercise Science) - MA(SRES) / Athletes are at risk for HIV infection due to their celebrity status which enables them to associate with multiple concurrent sexual partnerships. Athletes with an HIV sero-positive status should be encouraged to disclose their HIV positive status to enable them access appropriate treatment, care and support. The purpose of the study was to explore the experiences of athletes living with HIV following disclosure of their sero-status. The study was conducted in Ndirande Township in the city of Blantyre, Malawi. Twelve purposively sampled athletes living with HIV, four males and eight females between the ages of 18 and 30 years, participated in this study. Data was collected using qualitative methods conducting semi-structured, face to face individual interviews and the data were analysed using thematic analysis. The consequence of disclosure model was used to explain the themes that emerged from the data. The results of the study indicated that all athletes disclosed their HIV seropositive status. The majority of the athletes disclosed their HIV positive status to spouses, family members, friends and health care providers in order to access support and treatment. However, athletes did not disclose to their clubs and sports institutions because there was no conducive environment. After disclosure of their status, most athletes had positive experiences that included increased psychosocial support and care from their social networks. Some athletes had negative experiences such as stigma and discrimination from teammates and distant relatives. While athletes living with HIV had support from families and community support groups, there was a lack of appropriate support systems in the sport institutions. In addition, athletes living with HIV had limited access to health care services. For athletes living with HIV to remain productive, there is need for further research and the establishment of appropriate support systems in different levels of the sport institutions.

Using non-experimental descriptive exploratory survey, this study sought to find out factors associated with delayed entry into HIV medical care among HIV positive people who are aware of their status. A quantitative design was used and a structured questionnaire was used as the data collection instrument. Respondents were patients in a hospital’s Opportunistic Infection Department whose hospital records indicated that they were HIV positive during the time of the study. The study found out that as much as 71.6% (n =43) first entered HIV medical care more than 12 months after testing HIV positive while 40% (n = 24) did so as a result of illness. Low education levels, unemployment and being single are associated with delayed entry into HIV medical care. A percentage of the population uses and trusts non-biomedical approaches to dealing with HIV/AIDS. Being diagnosed HIV positive is therefore not necessarily a strong reason enough for one to immediately enter into medical care. Intensive health education needs to be done at work places, health facilities, schools, through print and electronic media, churches and other community settings to equip the population with knowledge of the advantages of early entry into HIV care. / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

Using non-experimental descriptive exploratory survey, this study sought to find out factors associated with delayed entry into HIV medical care among HIV positive people who are aware of their status. A quantitative design was used and a structured questionnaire was used as the data collection instrument. Respondents were patients in a hospital’s Opportunistic Infection Department whose hospital records indicated that they were HIV positive during the time of the study. The study found out that as much as 71.6% (n =43) first entered HIV medical care more than 12 months after testing HIV positive while 40% (n = 24) did so as a result of illness. Low education levels, unemployment and being single are associated with delayed entry into HIV medical care. A percentage of the population uses and trusts non-biomedical approaches to dealing with HIV/AIDS. Being diagnosed HIV positive is therefore not necessarily a strong reason enough for one to immediately enter into medical care. Intensive health education needs to be done at work places, health facilities, schools, through print and electronic media, churches and other community settings to equip the population with knowledge of the advantages of early entry into HIV care. / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)