The pathways to manhood for young adult African men in urban settings are based more on socio-economic demands than socio-cultural expectations of being a man. This study was a qualitative explorative research on the perceptions of HIV-prevention practitioners on the different pathways to manhood among young adult African men in urban settings in Gauteng, South Africa. From the findings it was clear that there are diverse socio-cultural and socio-economic pathways to manhood, including the media, older men, peers, religion and women. These pathways affirm, confirm, validate and value a man as a man and not a boy in urban settings such as cities and informal settlements in Gauteng. The research concluded that a great deal more could be done to ensure that men get involved in HIV-prevention programmes by ensuring dialogue on manhood and masculinities between men and men, and men and women. / Sociology / M. A. (Social Science)

A epidemia do HIV/AIDS vem mobilizando nas últimas três décadas muitos pesquisadores de diversas áreas do conhecimento (medicina, psicologia, educação, sociologia, antropologia, dentre outras), visto ser um problema sério de saúde pública e a prevenção, a principal arma que a ciência lança mão para o seu combate. Nesse sentido, muita se produziu nos últimos anos visando contribuir para o aprimoramento das propostas de intervenção na área da saúde e educação, com o intuito de combater e prevenir a disseminação das doenças sexualmente transmissíveis em geral, e em especial, a AIDS, sobretudo junto à juventude. Vale observar que dentre as propostas de intervenção, algumas privilegiaram uma concepção biomédica de saúde, centrando suas preocupações na fisiologia do corpo humano e na prescrição e transmissão de conhecimentos e formas de comportamentos, cujos argumentos enfatizavam a utilização pura e simples do preservativo masculino, sem grande preocupação em trazer para o debate questões de ordem social e cultural que determinam e conduzem o desejo e as práticas afetivas e sexuais dos indivíduos. O presente trabalho tem por objetivo refletir, por meio de uma leitura psicossocial, a respeito das estratégias de intervenção que aponta o jovem como o promotor de ações de prevenção às DST/AIDS junto a seus pares da mesma faixa etária. Entender a subjetividade dessas jovens lideranças das camadas populares na sociedade contemporânea, frente a seu papel como agente de prevenção no combate às DST/AIDS e de como se percebem no exercício de sua própria sexualidade, foi uma de nossas preocupações centrais. Outra questão envolveu o questionamento sobre até que ponto o investimento na formação, preparação e instrumentalização desses jovens em relação a questões ligadas à sexualidade favorecem suas tomadas de decisões com maior segurança em suas relações afetivas e sexuais. As contribuições teóricas de Pichon-Rivière foram fundamentais para trazer aos grupos de discussão as representações individuais e coletivas acerca de temas que os agentes discutem e problematizam nas oficinas de sexualidade junto a outros jovens, possibilitando um processo de ressignificação das representações que fazem acerca de concepções fortemente enraizadas em nossa cultura envolvendo, desde as desigualdades de gênero, o amor romântico até os preconceitos e tabus em torno da sexualidade e de como têm essas concepções interiorizadas, a despeito de toda a crítica que tecem sobre as mesmas. / The HIV/AIDS epidemic has been mobilizing several researchers from several areas of knowledge (medicine, psychology, education, sociology, anthropology, among others), during the last three decades, as this is a serious public health problem and prevention the leading weapon that science can take hold of to struggle against it. In this aspect, a great deal of work has been produced in the last years aiming to contribute to the betterment of the proposals to intervene in the health and education areas, with the purpose of fighting and preventing dissemination of sexually transmitted diseases as a whole and AIDS specially, above all to the young.That is worth observing that among the intervening proposals, some have privileged a biomedical health conception, focusing the concerns on human body physiology and on the prescription and transmission of knowledge and types of behavior, which arguments have emphasized only the use of male condoms without a great concern to bring into the debate issues of social and cultural aspects that determine and conduct the desire and the affective and sexual practices of individuals. The present work has the purpose of pondering, by means of a psychosocial reading, over the intervention strategies that point out the young as the promoter of the prevention action for STD/AIDS next to his/her peers of the same age group. To understand the subjectivity of such young leadership in the popular groups of our contemporary society, in face of his/her role as an agent of prevention in the battle against STD/AIDS and how they perceive themselves in the practice of their own sexuality, was one of our central concerns. Another issue brought into question was in which extent the investment on education, preparation, and instrumentalization of this young group, in relation to the issues connected to sexuality, assist them to safely reach decisions in their affective and sexual relationships. The theoretical contributions of Pichon-Rivière were fundamental to bring into the discussion groups the individual and collective representations for the issues that the agents discuss and problematize in the study groups about sexuality next to other young people, making possible a re-signification of the representations they do about extremely rooted conceptions of our culture covering from gender disparities, the romantic love, to the prejudices and taboos around sexuality - and how these conceptions are internalized despite of all criticism they comment on them.

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Evidence of male sex work has a history as long as female sex work. There is century old evidence of male Sumarians and Greeks selling sex to other men. Men are today still selling sex to other men. This study showed that the elimination of sex work is practically impossible, and could only be accomplished by the gross denial of basic human rights. Male sex workers have not received the same attention from researchers as have their female counterparts. This is so despite the large numbers of male sex workers in cities all over the world who potentially contribute to the worldwide sexually transmitted infection rates. It is known that wherever indiscriminate sexual activities take place, the risk of transmission of infections are greater. The activities between the male sex worker and his client(s) determine the health problems they are exposed to. The purpose of this research was to determine what transpires between male sex workers and their client(s) in order to provide the sex workers with knowledge to better take care of their own health as well as the health of their clients. A qualitative research design was used to collect data by means of in-depth interviews and participant observation sessions. Research strategies that were also used included: description, ethnography, phenomenology, and the biographic methods of qualitative research. The research revealed that men who have sex with men (MSM) were exposed to forty-nine different preventable sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS, trauma, violence, and alcohol and drug abuse. All these conditions relate to the lifestyle and activities of male sex workers. Recommendations were made regarding the removal of factors that hinder the delivery of programmes on safer sex to MSM. A booklet on safer sex for MSM was compiled by the researcher and distributed to all informants upon completion of the research. The neglected topic of male sex work was highlighted and health practitioners and other decision makers can now use the information in this thesis to make a contribution towards the better management of male sex work in South Africa in the interest of public health. / Health Studies / D.Litt et Phil. (Health Studies)

This study applied the theory of reasoned action (TRA) and its extension, the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to the design of a workplace HIV/AIDS health promotion programme. The purpose of the study was to determine if the variables of the TRA and TPB would predict intentions to change HIV/AIDS health behaviour, whether a theory-based intervention would result in health behaviour change over time and if there would be any significant health behaviour differences among participants who received a theory-based intervention and those who received an information-only intervention. In a longitudinal, quasi-experimental study, 170 government employees were divided into two groups. One group comprised 92 employees who participated in a HIV/AIDS health promotion workshop based on the theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour. The other group comprised 78 employees who took part in an educational information session about HIV and AIDS. An elicitation study was conducted with a sample of 38 employees from the research population two months prior to the commencement of the study. The findings of the elicitation study informed the design of research questionnaires and an intervention workshop. Both groups of participants (theory-based workshop and information-only workshop) were measured on HIV/AIDS health behaviour intentions and HIV/AIDS health behaviour (condom use, seeking HIV testing and monogamy) across three measurement periods over a six month period. The results of the study showed that the combined theoretical variables predicted intentions to use condoms and to seek HIV testing, with attitudes having the main effect on intentions. There was, however, no significant health behaviour change across the three measurement periods. There were also no health behaviour differences between the two intervention conditions at one month and six months post-intervention. The study concludes that the intervention based on the theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour did not produce health behaviour change. The study also identified barriers to AIDS health behaviour in the South African context that the theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour cannot explain. Ways in which the theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour can be adapted to HIV/AIDS education in collectivist cultures are proposed. / Psychology / Thesis (D. Phil. (Psychology))

This quantitative study sought to identify and describe factors influencing HIV disclosure and sexual practices among 340 PLWHA on ART at Mbabane National Referral VCT/ART Centre, Swaziland. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. A high general HIV disclosure rate (94.1%; f=320; N=340) was observed of which 57.5% (f=184; n=320) was to sexual partners. X2 procedures indicate an association with gender, residential region, religion, and period of being on ART. The majority (70.2%; f=179; n=255) of the respondents used condoms all the time to avoid infecting their sexual partners (99.2%; f=243; n=245) and to avoid contracting STIs (99.2%; f=243; n=245). X2 procedures indicate an association with gender, residential region, marital status, number of sexual partners, knowledge of the HIV status of sexual partners and period of being on ART. The single leading reason for not using the condom was sexual partners’ refusal to use condoms (85.7%; f=54; n=63). / Health Studies / M.A.(Health Studies)

Aims: The study was aimed at exploring adolescents‟ level of knowledge of HIV/AIDS and the influence this knowledge has on their sexual behaviour. Methods: In total, 20 in- depth interviews were conducted from a group of 20 (both males and females) secondary school learners. The interviews were audio taped with consent from participants. Results: The results of the study showed that participants possess basic knowledge of HIV/AIDS, including methods of prevention and transmission. No serious misconceptions about modes of transmission of HIV were found in this study. Although, participants reported condom use, no sexual intercourse with multiple concurrent partners and no intergenerational sexual relationships, the findings revealed some risk factors such as early sexual debuts, early dating, multiple sexual partnerships. Conclusions: The aforesaid sexual behaviours and the sexual activeness among learners is a cause for angst. Thus, these findings highlighted the need for a comprehensive approach to sexual reproductive health education by all interested parties in order to enhance and sustain behaviour change among young people. / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

A epidemia do HIV/AIDS vem mobilizando nas últimas três décadas muitos pesquisadores de diversas áreas do conhecimento (medicina, psicologia, educação, sociologia, antropologia, dentre outras), visto ser um problema sério de saúde pública e a prevenção, a principal arma que a ciência lança mão para o seu combate. Nesse sentido, muita se produziu nos últimos anos visando contribuir para o aprimoramento das propostas de intervenção na área da saúde e educação, com o intuito de combater e prevenir a disseminação das doenças sexualmente transmissíveis em geral, e em especial, a AIDS, sobretudo junto à juventude. Vale observar que dentre as propostas de intervenção, algumas privilegiaram uma concepção biomédica de saúde, centrando suas preocupações na fisiologia do corpo humano e na prescrição e transmissão de conhecimentos e formas de comportamentos, cujos argumentos enfatizavam a utilização pura e simples do preservativo masculino, sem grande preocupação em trazer para o debate questões de ordem social e cultural que determinam e conduzem o desejo e as práticas afetivas e sexuais dos indivíduos. O presente trabalho tem por objetivo refletir, por meio de uma leitura psicossocial, a respeito das estratégias de intervenção que aponta o jovem como o promotor de ações de prevenção às DST/AIDS junto a seus pares da mesma faixa etária. Entender a subjetividade dessas jovens lideranças das camadas populares na sociedade contemporânea, frente a seu papel como agente de prevenção no combate às DST/AIDS e de como se percebem no exercício de sua própria sexualidade, foi uma de nossas preocupações centrais. Outra questão envolveu o questionamento sobre até que ponto o investimento na formação, preparação e instrumentalização desses jovens em relação a questões ligadas à sexualidade favorecem suas tomadas de decisões com maior segurança em suas relações afetivas e sexuais. As contribuições teóricas de Pichon-Rivière foram fundamentais para trazer aos grupos de discussão as representações individuais e coletivas acerca de temas que os agentes discutem e problematizam nas oficinas de sexualidade junto a outros jovens, possibilitando um processo de ressignificação das representações que fazem acerca de concepções fortemente enraizadas em nossa cultura envolvendo, desde as desigualdades de gênero, o amor romântico até os preconceitos e tabus em torno da sexualidade e de como têm essas concepções interiorizadas, a despeito de toda a crítica que tecem sobre as mesmas. / The HIV/AIDS epidemic has been mobilizing several researchers from several areas of knowledge (medicine, psychology, education, sociology, anthropology, among others), during the last three decades, as this is a serious public health problem and prevention the leading weapon that science can take hold of to struggle against it. In this aspect, a great deal of work has been produced in the last years aiming to contribute to the betterment of the proposals to intervene in the health and education areas, with the purpose of fighting and preventing dissemination of sexually transmitted diseases as a whole and AIDS specially, above all to the young.That is worth observing that among the intervening proposals, some have privileged a biomedical health conception, focusing the concerns on human body physiology and on the prescription and transmission of knowledge and types of behavior, which arguments have emphasized only the use of male condoms without a great concern to bring into the debate issues of social and cultural aspects that determine and conduct the desire and the affective and sexual practices of individuals. The present work has the purpose of pondering, by means of a psychosocial reading, over the intervention strategies that point out the young as the promoter of the prevention action for STD/AIDS next to his/her peers of the same age group. To understand the subjectivity of such young leadership in the popular groups of our contemporary society, in face of his/her role as an agent of prevention in the battle against STD/AIDS and how they perceive themselves in the practice of their own sexuality, was one of our central concerns. Another issue brought into question was in which extent the investment on education, preparation, and instrumentalization of this young group, in relation to the issues connected to sexuality, assist them to safely reach decisions in their affective and sexual relationships. The theoretical contributions of Pichon-Rivière were fundamental to bring into the discussion groups the individual and collective representations for the issues that the agents discuss and problematize in the study groups about sexuality next to other young people, making possible a re-signification of the representations they do about extremely rooted conceptions of our culture covering from gender disparities, the romantic love, to the prejudices and taboos around sexuality - and how these conceptions are internalized despite of all criticism they comment on them.

The rising rates of high-risk behaviours, such as substance abuse, unsafe sexual practices and violence in South African schools, have accentuated the need for intervention and prevention programmes in the education system. High-risk behaviour is related to changes and uncertainties at community level. The traditional values and behavioural codes are undermined and there is no corrective action from the community to control this behaviour. This study describes the need for support of adolescents, who are in a state of development and change and whose abilities are increasingly being tested by stress factors from a rapidly changing environment. To meet these needs for support, an experimental peer support programme was implemented in schools. Peer support involves the provision of information about healthy lifestyles and high-risk behaviour, such as substance abuse, crime and HIV/AIDS-related aspects. Through peer support, healthy lifestyles can be modelled, and a forum for the discussion of problems established. Peer supporters can assist their peers in dealing with problems and a context can be created in which new and healthier behavioural patters can develop. Peer support is important because educators and teachers are unable to manage the large number of learners who are experiencing problems and schools offer limited professional psychological support to learners. The objectives mainly entailed the prevention of high-risk behaviour related to HIV/AIDS, crime and substance abuse, as well as the enhancement of learners’ psychological well-being and the social climate in schools. The peer support system was implemented in four experimental schools and four similar schools served as a control group. The schools involved were selected by means of a stratified sampling method. A total amount of 2045 respondents between the ages of 12 and 21 years participated in this study. The peer support system was evaluated in terms of a pre and post-measurement in order to determine the impact of the system on the schools and learners in the schools, and to determine whether the set objectives have been achieved. The hypothesis was that the peer support system would have a positive effect in reducing high-risk behaviour and improving the psychological well-being of learners. A questionnaire was used as a pre and post-measurement tool to determine whether there had been significant changes and/or improvements regarding high-risk behaviour, crime, school climate and psychological well-being in the school system. The experimental and control school communities were compared. Significant differences were found between the experimental group and the control group in terms of behavioural problems in the school, school climate, high-risk sexual behaviour and psychological well-being. Learners’ perception of problem behaviour in the school remained unchanged in the experimental group, whilst the control group’s measurements became statistically significantly (p<0,05) more negative over time. A statistically significant difference at the 5% significance level was found between the control group’s pre and post-measurements regarding learners’ experience of the school climate. The control group’s experience had become more negative at post-measurement, whilst the experimental group’s experience had remained unchanged over time. A statistically significant difference was found between the experimental and control groups (p<0,001) in respect of the level of sexual experience. The number of sexually experienced learners in the control group had increased at post-measurement, whilst the level of learners’ sexual experience had remained constant in the experimental group. Furthermore, a significant increase (p<0,001) was found in the level of sexual activity among the control group during the last 30 days, but not in the experimental group. This implicates that the intervention has had a preventative effect that counters the normal tendency of increased sexual activity with age. More than 60% of learners viewed their friends as sexually experienced. The perceived group norm for the experimental group remained the same over 18 months, whereas a significant increase (p<0,001) was found in the control group. No decrease was found in the psychological well-being of learners in the experimental group at post-measurement, whereas that of the control group had decreased significantly (p<0,05). No statistically significant differences were found for substance abuse and personal control of risk among learners. Although many other variables could play a role in these changes, the conclusion can be made that the peer support system probably had a preventative effect in schools. The study further indicates that approximately two thirds of all learners had been aware of the system and about 40% had used it. The peer system was generally evaluated as positive and the biggest problems were related to the implementation and organization of the system, as well as the confidentiality of information. Recommendations have been made regarding the improvement of project implementation. If enhanced co-operation from school staff can be obtained during implementation of the intervention, the peer support system could function better and a bigger impact in schools could be achieved. In conclusion, it is important that intervention programmes be promoted efficiently in schools in order to facilitate optimal functioning. / Dissertation (MA (Research Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Psychology / unrestricted