The purpose of this research study is to determine the factors influencing reproductive health choices of women living with HIV attending primary health care services. The need for this research study is evident in that most women attending health care services at primary health care clinics, and who are HIV positive report unintended pregnancy. The study sought to provide answers to factors influencing their reproductive choices. A quantitative, descriptive and cross-sectional research study was used in this study. The sample consisted of 83 females between the ages of 18 and 40. The findings of the research study provided the researcher with adequate evidence on the factors influencing reproductive health choices of women living with HIV attending primary health care services. The approach to reproductive health services was still acceptable but needs to be improved. Moreover, the identified factors therefore influenced one’s perceptions on reproductive health decisions among HIV-infected women. / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

This study explored preparatory students’ perceptions of the risk of contracting the Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Ethopia. It utilised a non-experimental exploratory survey methodology. A range of findings was revealed. Most respondents (67.14%) were knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS and more than half of the respondents knew about STIs. A significant number of respondents (67.1%) were able to describe HIV transmission prevention methods. Twenty one percent of respondents were sexually active and 17.0% of these reported to have used condoms. Twenty nine percent and 4.25% of the respondents had selfperceived risk of contracting HIV infection and STIs respectively. In spite of increased awareness of HIV/AIDS, school youths still engage in high-risk sexual activities and believe that they are unlikely to contract the disease. The study findings have implications for practice, and recommendations are offered for further research / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

According to the 2005 Ethiopian Demographic Health Survey, HIV prevalence in Gambella region where Fugnido refugee camp is located is 6%, which is the highest prevalence data recorded in the country. Similarly, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Health Information System (HIS) demonstrates that Fugnido has the highest HIV prevalence compared to other refugee camps in Ethiopia and furthermore shows variation in prevalence among the two main ethnic groups in the camp, namely Agnuak and Nuer (about 8.5% and 2.3% respectively). The study seeks to investigate why a significant difference exists in the number of people with known HIV positive status among the Agnuak community compared to the Nuer community in the Fugnido refugee camp in Ethiopia. It does this by investigating factors that are presumed to explain HIV high risk-behaviour and vulnerability. This was a cross-sectional study of Agnuak and Nuer tribes living at the Fugnido refugee camp. The sampled population involved men and women refugees from the ages of 15 to 49 years. The study used a mixed method approach or methodological triangulation. Cluster sampling technique was used for the quantitative data collection. The sample size was 831 refugees (439 Agnuak and 390 Nuer). Seven (7) Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and 3 Key Informant (KI) interviews was used for the qualitative data collection. Findings show that the Agnuak were almost 4 times (OR=3.8, 95% CI [1.9-7.4] p < 0.05) more likely to practice risky behaviour compared to 0.3 times (OR=0.3, 95% CI [0.1- 0.9] p < 0.05) likelihood among the Nuer refugees. Factors associated with differences in risky behaviour for both Agnuak and Nuer included, inter alia, primary education as the highest level of education attained, 50% among the Agnuak (OR=0.5, 95% CI [0.3-0.8] p < 0.05), compared to Nuer community’s 30% (OR=0.3, 95% CI [0.2-0.6] p < 0.05). Access to HIV and voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) services was lower for the Agnuak (OR=1.8, 95% CI [1.1-2.9] p < 0.05) compared to the Nuer (OR=2.9, 95% CI [1.6-5.1] p < 0.05). Unlike the Nuer refugees, the Agnuak refugees who had experienced forced sex (OR=7.3, 95% CI [2.9-18.8] p < 0.05) and had a positive attitude (lack of or reduced stigma) towards HIV (OR=2.1, 95% CI [1.3-3.7] p < 0.05) were more positively associated with risky 6 behaviour (than the Nuer). The Nuer had no factor associated with risky behaviour that was different from that of the Agnuak. The study revealed more Agnuak refugees than Nuer refugees had been engaged in risky sexual behaviour by having multiple sex partners and being involved in transactional sex. The Nuer was more closed and reserved to having sexual relations outside of their group than the Agnuak were which contributed to their relatively lower HIV prevalence. Furthermore, there was very low condom use among the Nuer community compared to the Agnuak community, which was based on differential attitudes between the two communities concerning trust of partner and monogamous relations. The study findings recommend that humanitarian workers and community partners need to collaborate to develop congruent HIV interventions that go beyond traditional strategies of distributing condoms and focus on correct and consistent use of condoms in the camp. Humanitarian and community workers’ understanding the socioeconomic context of the communities and the influence of cultural and other factors, including behaviour with intervention strategies,could also curb the epidemic. / Sociology / M.A. (Sociology)

INTRODUÇÃO: No Brasil, os doadores de sangue são submetidos à triagem clinica antes da doação através de um questionário padronizado que segue recomendações do Ministério da Saúde. Apesar de não ser obrigatório, os serviços de hemoterapia brasileiros costumam perguntar aos candidatos sobre o número de parceiros sexuais nos doze meses que precederam aquela doação de sangue. Os candidatos que referem um número de parceiros acima do limite permitido em cada hemocentro são recusados na triagem clínica pré-doação. Este estudo analisa as características demográficas, o número de parceiros heterossexuais e marcadores sorológicos em 689.868 doações de três hemocentros brasileiros, participantes do REDS-II, entre 1 de julho de 2007 a 31 de dezembro de 2009. MÉTODOS: Os doadores foram classificados de acordo com o número máximo declarado de parceiros sexuais nos últimos doze meses permitidos em cada hemocentro. Os valores de corte para Belo Horizonte, Recife e São Paulo são dois, três e seis parceiros, respectivamente. Foram realizados os testes de qui-quadrado e regressão logística a fim de examinar associações entre características demográficas, número de parceiros sexuais em doze meses e taxas de marcadores sorológicos individuais e globais positivas para o vírus da imunodeficiência adquirida (HIV), vírus linfotrópico humano (HTLV) tipo 1 e 2, hepatite B, hepatite C e sífilis. RESULTADOS: Doadores de primeira vez, jovens e com maior nível educacional foram associados a maior número de parceiros sexuais recentes, assim como o gênero em São Paulo e Recife (p < 0, 001). Marcadores sorológicos globais, para HIV e sífilis foram associados com maior número de parceiros em São Paulo e Recife (p < 0, 001), mas não em Belo Horizonte. Na análise de regressão logística, o número de parceiros sexuais foi associado com marcadores sorológicos positivos [razão de chance ajustada (AOR) 1,2-1,5], especialmente no HIV (AOR 1,9-4,4). Em conclusão, o número de parceiros sexuais nos doze meses antes da doação de sangue, foi associado com positividade para HIV e taxas globais de marcadores sorológicos para doenças transmissíveis por transfusão. A associação não foi consistente entre os centros, tornando difícil definir um valor de corte uniforme para todos os hemocentros brasileiros. Estes achados corroboram que o uso da informação dos contatos heterossexuais recentes é um importante critério de inaptidão e de melhora na segurança transfusional no Brasil / INTRODUCTION: In Brazil, blood donors undergo medical screening before donation through a standardized questionnaire that follows recommendations from the Ministry of Health. Although not required, most of the Brazilian blood centers routinely ask candidates about the number of sexual partners in the twelve months preceding that blood donation. Candidates who refer a number of partners over the limit allowed in each blood center are refused at the predonation clinic screening. This study analyzes the demographic characteristics, the number of heterosexual partners and serological markers in 689,868 donations from three Brazilian blood center, participants in the REDS-II, from 1 July 2007 to December 31, 2009. METHODS: Donors were classified according to the stated maximum of the number of sexual partners in the last twelve months, allowed at each blood center. The cutoff values for Belo Horizonte, Recife and Sao Paulo are two, three and six partners, respectively. We conducted the chi-square and logistic regression to examine associations between demographic characteristics, number of sexual partners in twelve months and rates of individual and global serological markers positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), human lymphotropic virus (HTLV) type 1 and 2, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and syphilis. RESULTS: First time donors, young and better educated were associated with increased number of recent sexual partners, as well as gender in São Paulo and Recife (p < 0.001). Global serological markers for HIV and syphilis were associated with greater number of partners in Sao Paulo and Recife (p < 0.001), but not in Belo Horizonte. In logistic regression analysis, the number of sexual partners was associated with positive serological markers [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.2 to 1.5], especially HIV (AOR 1.9 to 4.4). In conclusion, the number of sexual partners in the twelve months before blood donation was associated with HIV positivity and overall rates of serologic markers for transfusion-transmissible diseases. The association was not consistent among the Brazilian blood centers, making it difficult to set a uniform cut off value for all blood banks in Brazil. These findings confirm that, the use of information from recent heterosexual contacts is an important criterion of disability and improvement in transfusion safety in Brazil

O estudo investigou qualitativamente a vulnerabilidade às DSTs e ao HIV/aids em adolescentes que vivem na rua e estão envolvidas com a prostituição juvenil, com o uso de drogas e com a violência.Foram atendidas sete adolescentes, em entrevistas abertas e semi-dirigidas, apresentadas em bola de neve por informantes chaves.Observou-se que alguns dos motivos que levaram à prostituição dizem respeito à violência na família, a curiosidade em relação à rua, a afirmação de sua sexualidade, ao abuso de drogas e a precária situação econômica de suas famílias. Todos esses fatores associados aumentaram a sua vulnerabilidade e as distanciaram dos programas de saúde existentes. Assim, faz-se necessário a criação de estratégias que visem a busca ativa e a inserção de cada uma delas, respeitando cada singularidade / This quantitative study investigated vulnerability to HIV/AIDS among adolescents who live on the streets and are involved in prostituition, drugs and violence. A total of seven respondents were recruited using key informants and snowball sampling, and data was collected through semi-structured interviews. The findings highlighted that domestic violence, curiosity, assertion of sexuality, drug abuse and deprived socio-economic conditions of families were among the factors increasedindividuals vulnerability and prevent them from using existing health programmes. Hence, there is a need for strategies involving outreach work and that take into account individuals singularities

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:43:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 MarciaCVL_DISSERT.pdf: 1430431 bytes, checksum: 3dc9c2d06abee984002608d86f65f3da (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-06-25 / Community-based interventions have been presented as a proposal of operationalization of the concept of vulnerability to STD/Aids prevention. This study aimed to analyze the Community intervention developed through the project Strengthening of Community action networks for STD/Aids prevention: know and intervenein, at M?e Luiza neighborhood, in the city of Natal, State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The study was conducted in the same location where intervention occurs and took as time reference the first 30 months of construction and deployment process, from April 2010 until December 2012. This is research with qualitative approach, participatory character, developed from the immersion of the researcher in the field, being this community intervention itself. In this perspective, the study approximates to the Cartographic method in which the researcher-researched is engendered in the acts and effects research. The data-generating sources were the memories of the researcher from the field notes, written narratives of subjects involved in the intervention and documents pertaining to the project. In the methodological path of cartography, the image of the rhizome by Deleuze and Guattari (1995) has accompanied the immersion in the field given the nature of research-intervention which approach to the concept of object-Rhizome. The presentation of results was composed for the attempted rhizomatic and a hypertext representation, based on the descriptive narrative taken from the documentary analysis and the multi-faceted narratives with the voices, the looks and the affections narrated by the subject involved, respectively. On the path taken, three lanes were drawn as synthesis of learning produced by experience-that can contribute to understanding the process under study, in his singular character, and reflections on other experiences of community intervention: track 1- Community intervention as active-reflective space and a cause; track 2 Inclusion as power and challenge of community involvement; track 3 Sustainability as A challenge of Community intervention. The study indicates that community intervention is presented as a potential producer of health as also produces practical and creative skills, subjects and inventive in the daily life of the community with a view to reinventing knowledge and practices for the prevention of STD/HIV/Aids / As interven??es de base comunit?ria t?m sido apresentadas como proposta de operacionaliza??o do conceito de vulnerabilidade para a preven??o das DST/Aids. Esta pesquisa teve por objetivo analisar a interven??o comunit?ria desenvolvida atrav?s do projeto Fortalecimento de redes de a??o comunit?ria para a preven??o em DSt/Aids: conhecer e intervir, no bairro de M?es Luiza, na cidade de Natal, estado do Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil. O estudo foi realizado no mesmo local onde ocorre a interven??o e tomou como refer?ncia temporal os primeiros 30 meses do processo de sua constru??o e implanta??o, desde abril de 2010 at? dezembro de 2012. Trata-se de pesquisa com abordagem qualitativa, de car?ter participativo, desenvolvida a partir da imers?o da pesquisadora em campo, sendo este a pr?pria interven??o comunit?ria. Nessa perspectiva, o estudo aproxima-se ao m?todo cartogr?fico no qual a rela??o pesquisador-pesquisado ? engendrada nos atos e efeitos da investiga??o. As fontes geradoras de dados foram o registro de mem?rias da pesquisadora a partir das anota??es de campo, narrativas escritas de sujeitos implicados na interven??o e documentos referentes ao projeto. No caminho metodol?gico da cartografia, a imagem do rizoma apresentada por Deleuze e Guattari (1995) tem acompanhado a imers?o em campo dada ? natureza de pesquisa-interven??o a qual aproximamos ? no??o de objeto-rizoma. A apresenta??o de resultados foi composta por tentativa de representa??o rizom?tica e um hipertexto, tomando como base a narrativa descritiva extra?da da an?lise documental e as narrativas multifacetadas com as vozes, os olhares e os afetos narrados pelos sujeitos implicados, respectivamente. No caminho percorrido, tr?s pistas foram tra?adas como s?ntese do aprendizado produzido pela experi?ncia-interven??o, que podem contribuir para compreender o processo em estudo, em seu car?ter singular, e orientar reflex?es sobre outras experi?ncias de interven??o comunit?ria: pista 1 A interven??o comunit?ria como espa?o ativo-reflexivo e um modo de fazer com; pista 2 A inclus?o como pot?ncia e desafio da interven??o comunit?ria; pista 3 A sustentabilidade como desafio da interven??o comunit?ria. O estudo indica que a interven??o comunit?ria se apresenta como potencial produtora de sa?de ? medida que tamb?m produz pr?ticas e sujeitos, potencializando capacidades criativa e inventiva presentes no cotidiano da comunidade numa perspectiva de reinventar saberes e pr?ticas para preven??o das DST/HIV/Aids

INTRODUÇÃO: No Brasil, os doadores de sangue são submetidos à triagem clinica antes da doação através de um questionário padronizado que segue recomendações do Ministério da Saúde. Apesar de não ser obrigatório, os serviços de hemoterapia brasileiros costumam perguntar aos candidatos sobre o número de parceiros sexuais nos doze meses que precederam aquela doação de sangue. Os candidatos que referem um número de parceiros acima do limite permitido em cada hemocentro são recusados na triagem clínica pré-doação. Este estudo analisa as características demográficas, o número de parceiros heterossexuais e marcadores sorológicos em 689.868 doações de três hemocentros brasileiros, participantes do REDS-II, entre 1 de julho de 2007 a 31 de dezembro de 2009. MÉTODOS: Os doadores foram classificados de acordo com o número máximo declarado de parceiros sexuais nos últimos doze meses permitidos em cada hemocentro. Os valores de corte para Belo Horizonte, Recife e São Paulo são dois, três e seis parceiros, respectivamente. Foram realizados os testes de qui-quadrado e regressão logística a fim de examinar associações entre características demográficas, número de parceiros sexuais em doze meses e taxas de marcadores sorológicos individuais e globais positivas para o vírus da imunodeficiência adquirida (HIV), vírus linfotrópico humano (HTLV) tipo 1 e 2, hepatite B, hepatite C e sífilis. RESULTADOS: Doadores de primeira vez, jovens e com maior nível educacional foram associados a maior número de parceiros sexuais recentes, assim como o gênero em São Paulo e Recife (p < 0, 001). Marcadores sorológicos globais, para HIV e sífilis foram associados com maior número de parceiros em São Paulo e Recife (p < 0, 001), mas não em Belo Horizonte. Na análise de regressão logística, o número de parceiros sexuais foi associado com marcadores sorológicos positivos [razão de chance ajustada (AOR) 1,2-1,5], especialmente no HIV (AOR 1,9-4,4). Em conclusão, o número de parceiros sexuais nos doze meses antes da doação de sangue, foi associado com positividade para HIV e taxas globais de marcadores sorológicos para doenças transmissíveis por transfusão. A associação não foi consistente entre os centros, tornando difícil definir um valor de corte uniforme para todos os hemocentros brasileiros. Estes achados corroboram que o uso da informação dos contatos heterossexuais recentes é um importante critério de inaptidão e de melhora na segurança transfusional no Brasil / INTRODUCTION: In Brazil, blood donors undergo medical screening before donation through a standardized questionnaire that follows recommendations from the Ministry of Health. Although not required, most of the Brazilian blood centers routinely ask candidates about the number of sexual partners in the twelve months preceding that blood donation. Candidates who refer a number of partners over the limit allowed in each blood center are refused at the predonation clinic screening. This study analyzes the demographic characteristics, the number of heterosexual partners and serological markers in 689,868 donations from three Brazilian blood center, participants in the REDS-II, from 1 July 2007 to December 31, 2009. METHODS: Donors were classified according to the stated maximum of the number of sexual partners in the last twelve months, allowed at each blood center. The cutoff values for Belo Horizonte, Recife and Sao Paulo are two, three and six partners, respectively. We conducted the chi-square and logistic regression to examine associations between demographic characteristics, number of sexual partners in twelve months and rates of individual and global serological markers positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), human lymphotropic virus (HTLV) type 1 and 2, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and syphilis. RESULTS: First time donors, young and better educated were associated with increased number of recent sexual partners, as well as gender in São Paulo and Recife (p < 0.001). Global serological markers for HIV and syphilis were associated with greater number of partners in Sao Paulo and Recife (p < 0.001), but not in Belo Horizonte. In logistic regression analysis, the number of sexual partners was associated with positive serological markers [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.2 to 1.5], especially HIV (AOR 1.9 to 4.4). In conclusion, the number of sexual partners in the twelve months before blood donation was associated with HIV positivity and overall rates of serologic markers for transfusion-transmissible diseases. The association was not consistent among the Brazilian blood centers, making it difficult to set a uniform cut off value for all blood banks in Brazil. These findings confirm that, the use of information from recent heterosexual contacts is an important criterion of disability and improvement in transfusion safety in Brazil

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.

Preventing teenagers’ pregnancies and improving teenagers’ reproductive health are important as pregnancies in teenagers still represent an important health challenge in Cameroon. The purpose of this dissertation of a limited scope was to describe the perception of peer educators who underwent the ‘100% young’ peer education training and the effect it had on their own sexual behaviour. A qualitative descriptive, explorative and contextual research design was conducted. Data collection was done using in-depth interviews. Fifteen peer educators were purposively selected. Two questions were asked namely; please describe how you perceived the peer education training that you underwent and, describe how this training affected your own sexual behaviour. Findings revealed that participants had a positive education experience, positive personal growth and for many, that was enough to become mentors for their peers and build awareness. Recommendations propose that interventions such as the ‘100% young’ are urgently required to prevent teenage pregnancy. / Health Studies / M.P.H.

Disclosure of a Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) positive status is vital for prevention and promotion of the couple‟s health. The study aimed to investigate the perceived barriers of pregnant women diagnosed as HIV positive towards disclosure of their HIV status to their partners in the Capricorn District, Limpopo Province. Recommendations were formulated to enhance the self-efficacy. A quantitative, explorative, descriptive cross-sectional design and the Health Belief Model theory was used. Non-probability, convenience sampling utilised and 170 respondents aged 18-40 years participated in the study. A questionnaire was used to collect data and the SSPS version 24.0 was utilised to analyse data. Overall, 87.64% respondents received disclosure education and 80% disclosed their status to their partners. Reasons for non-disclosure included fear of rejection, violent behaviour, blame and stigmatisation by partners. Health care workers should provide pregnant women with information on preventive strategies to enhance disclosure of HIV status. / Health Studies / M.A. (Nursing Science)