Southern Africa has the highest prevalence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection in the world. With a high prevalence of HIV, as well as a rising incidence of chronic diseases of lifestyle (CDLs), South Africa is faced with the dual burden of infectious diseases and CDLs. Health promoting behaviours (HPBs), including physical activity (PA), maintaining good nutrition and taking responsibility for personal health, play an important role in managing the symptoms of HIV infection and the side effects of antiretroviral (ARV) use. Additionally HPBs improve health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in people living with HIV (PLWHIV). Furthermore, research indicates that HPBs should be encouraged among university students as they will become the future decision and policy makers in their places of employment. This study sought to determine the PA levels, HPBs and HRQOL of university students living with HIV, in order to better promote PA participation and HPBs in this population. Additionally, participants‘ perceptions of and attitudes towards exercise participation were investigated, as were barriers that mitigated against PA participation and HPBs. This study was exploratory-descriptive in nature and utilised a mixed methods design. The University Campus Health Clinic (CHC) staff recruited 29 HIV positive students (HIVPS) between the ages of 18 and 25 through purposive sampling. In the quantitative portion of the study the HIVPS completed a demographic questionnaire as well as three self-administered questionnaires, namely: the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), the Health-promoting Lifestyle Profile (version 2, HPLP-II) and the World Health Organisation Quality of Life Brief Questionnaire (WHOQOL-HIV-BREF) to determine PA levels, health-promoting lifestyle behaviours and HRQOL, respectively. Height and weight, as well as the most recent CD4 count were also recorded.

Thesis (M.P.H.M (Primary Health Care Management))--Mahidol University, 2006. / LICL has E-Thesis 0011 ; please contact computer services.