Thesis (M.A. (Social Work)) -- Univesity of Limpopo, 2012 / Refer to document

Young women‘s sexual health is declining. Sorority women face an intersectionality of risk for the negative consequences of sexual activity because of college attendance, sex, and age. The influence of peer communication about condom use can provide a buffer to the risk these women face. I investigated this communication through focus groups, using the theory of communication privacy management and grounded theory to understand focus group findings. The results revealed themes regarding characteristics of communicators and context of communication including communication topic and setting. The women use strategies, boundaries and rules to negotiate communication privacy and engage in comfortable communication. Additionally, the women seek to maintain a good reputation for their social group, and follow explicit and implicit rules to do so. The implication of this analysis includes improvements in sorority and college student sexual health programming and continued research on communication in social support organizations like sororities.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

This research study seeks to explore perceptions of family planning clients towards the female condom, as well as examine factors that facilitate or inhibit the use of the device by women of different age groups. The study targets women aged 18-35 who attend the Commercial City Clinic located in Durban, South Africa. This study targets this group since they fall in the category of those most besieged by HIV, hence the need for protection against infection. While most research on condom use has focused the technicalities of barriers prevention methods, relatively less is known about attitudes, motivation and strategies employed by users or would-be users. Although Femidom has been widely accepted as an effective method in STI and pregnancy prevention, nevertheless its usefulness is hampered by a number of factors. Factors range from partner’s objection; men’s negative attitude to use of the device; refusal to use any condom during sex; distrust of the method by male partner; Femidom insertion difficulties in women; reduced sexual sensation for some women when the device is in use; and preference of a discreet method by women not requiring permission by the male sexual counterpart to use the female condom While this study acknowledges that the female condom is an imperfect technology, nevertheless, ways need to be found on how to raise its acceptability. Such a measure is necessary since the female-controlled HIV prevention device has great potential if better marketed and distributed. However, that potential can only be realized if women’s vulnerabilities in the biological, cultural, economic and social domains are addressed. In so doing, this would enable women to gain greater control over their sexual health and also empower them in sexual relationships, thus bettering their lot than is the case at present. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

Unprotected heterosexual intercourse is the major cause of the transmission of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS); however people still engage in unsafe sexual practices. Much research has therefore focused on preventive approaches and barrier methods to combat HIV and AIDS. Global HIV and AIDS statistics show that women are worst affected, leading researchers and non-governmental organizations to design interventions and programs to prevent HIV infection among women. Female condoms, also known as femidom, are effective and safe in preventing HIV if used consistently. The cost of the first generation female condom, FC1 led to slow uptake, resulting in the production of the more cost-effective second generation female condom, FC2. However, studies show that the FC2 is underutilized for a number of reasons beyond cost, including availability, reduced sexual pleasure, gender inequality and culture. There is a paucity of literature on perceptions of the female condom (Callender, 2012). This study sought to address this gap by accessing perceptions of the female condom among students on the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN)’s Howard College campus. This research study adopted an interpretive paradigm and employed mixed methods of research, both quantitative and qualitative. The population/participants were drawn from male and female students at UKZN who reside in two residences on the Howard College campus, namely, John Bews and Pius Langa. A non-probability snow ball sampling method was used to select a sample frame of 124 students comprising both female and male students. Questionnaires and focus group were used to gather data; a total of 100 questionnaires were administered and a focus group was conducted with eight participants in three separate sessions. The qualitative data gathered were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), which generated simple frequencies and percentages. The quantitative data was transcribed and analyzed through thematic analysis with the help of the NVivo10 qualitative data analysis package. Thematic analysis developed by Braun & Clarke (2006) was employed to create categories and emerging themes that were derived from the coding process. Paulo Freire’s participatory development paradigm and the empowerment theory provided the conceptual framework within which the research is located. This enabled an exploration of how participatory approaches like focus group discussions create opportunities for participation. Kieffer’s (1984) four stages of empowerment guided the data analysis within the framework of empowerment theory. The study found that male students are more supportive of female condoms than female students. It also revealed that female students do not feel empowered by female condoms; this is as due to inadequate information and insufficient promotion of female condoms. Furthermore, the findings revealed that the most common source of information about female condoms among students was friends, followed by the clinic. Media and billboards had minimal effect in providing information and awareness on the female condom. Students feel that culture does not influence condom (male or female) use; this could suggest a positive future for femidom use in South Africa. / M. Soc. Sc. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2013.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Umeå : Umeå universitet, 2006. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Thesis (M.P.H.M.)--Mahidol University, 2000.

Thesis (M.A. (Population and Reproductive Health Research))--Mahidol University, 2006. / LICL has E-Thesis 0016 ; please contact computer services.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1991.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1991.