Research has outlined numerous factors that impact on HIV risk behaviours of African people. These include a history of sexually transmitted diseases, number of sexually transmitted diseases, number of sexual partners, the perceived behaviour of peer groups and perceived vulnerability to HIV. Little is known regarding the factors that promote perceptions of vulnerability to HIV and the role this constraint plays in the maintenance of AIDS risk-reduction practices among African people in rural areas. This research paper gives an overview of the vulnerability to HIV among African people in a rural area. The information has been collected in the Kuruman district. The multi-disciplinary survey was undertaken with one of the objectives to investigate the vulnerability to HIV amongst African people in a rural area. The aim was achieved by means of a study of the relevant literature and through empirical research. The available literature on the subject was consulted to determine whether any research has been conducted in this field. The empirical research was conducted to confirm previous research findings. In this study the survey method was used as a systematic fact gathering procedure. Data was gathered by means of an interview schedule. The researcher administrated the schedules by conduction personal interviews with respondents. In this research, which forms part of the Thusano project, the focus was on the vulnerability to HIV/AIDS of people living in a rural area in the Kuruman district. The Thusano project forms part of a multi-disciplinary research project of the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University, entitled the Social-motor Empowerment of Families in Impoverished Circumstances under the Leadership of Professor A.E. Pienaar of the School of Biokinetics, Recreation and Sport Science. "Thusano” means to help each other and this is a Nelson Mandela funded project which has to address the needs of families in impoverished circumstances living in seven communities in the Kuruman district. The project is driven by the social worker, Ms Tineke Uys, and field workers. An early childhood programme aiming at school readiness has been implemented by them. However, many other needs are identified by the social worker which they are not able to address properly, such as HIV prevention and counselling, family violence, identification of motor delays and other health related problems. The research was conducted in seven communities of the Kururnan district with regard to 50 respondents from different households. The findings of this research reflect that there definitely are factors such as practising unsafe sex, poverty, poor education and over-crowded households that play an important role in the people's vulnerability to HIV/AIDS in the seven communities of the Kuruman district. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

Research has outlined numerous factors that impact on HIV risk behaviours of African people. These include a history of sexually transmitted diseases, number of sexually transmitted diseases, number of sexual partners, the perceived behaviour of peer groups and perceived vulnerability to HIV. Little is known regarding the factors that promote perceptions of vulnerability to HIV and the role this constraint plays in the maintenance of AIDS risk-reduction practices among African people in rural areas. This research paper gives an overview of the vulnerability to HIV among African people in a rural area. The information has been collected in the Kuruman district. The multi-disciplinary survey was undertaken with one of the objectives to investigate the vulnerability to HIV amongst African people in a rural area. The aim was achieved by means of a study of the relevant literature and through empirical research. The available literature on the subject was consulted to determine whether any research has been conducted in this field. The empirical research was conducted to confirm previous research findings. In this study the survey method was used as a systematic fact gathering procedure. Data was gathered by means of an interview schedule. The researcher administrated the schedules by conduction personal interviews with respondents. In this research, which forms part of the Thusano project, the focus was on the vulnerability to HIV/AIDS of people living in a rural area in the Kuruman district. The Thusano project forms part of a multi-disciplinary research project of the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University, entitled the Social-motor Empowerment of Families in Impoverished Circumstances under the Leadership of Professor A.E. Pienaar of the School of Biokinetics, Recreation and Sport Science. "Thusano” means to help each other and this is a Nelson Mandela funded project which has to address the needs of families in impoverished circumstances living in seven communities in the Kuruman district. The project is driven by the social worker, Ms Tineke Uys, and field workers. An early childhood programme aiming at school readiness has been implemented by them. However, many other needs are identified by the social worker which they are not able to address properly, such as HIV prevention and counselling, family violence, identification of motor delays and other health related problems. The research was conducted in seven communities of the Kururnan district with regard to 50 respondents from different households. The findings of this research reflect that there definitely are factors such as practising unsafe sex, poverty, poor education and over-crowded households that play an important role in the people's vulnerability to HIV/AIDS in the seven communities of the Kuruman district. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.