This study analyses the characteristics and life trajectories of highly educated18 to 35 year old Malawians, how they negotiate their identities in the face of HIV/AIDS, and their opinions regarding the effectiveness of current HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention efforts. These Malawians are among the privileged few who get an opportunity to complete their secondary education and potentially attend post-secondary classes. However, their livelihoods are inevitably tied to HIV/AIDS and public health employment opportunities and discourses due to the high HIV/AIDS prevalence in Malawi. These Malawians routinely presented their identities in the context of their understanding of HIV/AIDS. They also critically discussed the merits of current HIV/AIDS policies and potential alternative methods to decrease the spread of HIV in Malawi. By considering who highly educated Malawians are and why they discuss HIV/AIDS in such a manner, more culturally appropriate and innovative solutions in ridding Malawi of this epidemic may be understood.

<p>The devastation caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus/ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is having a major impact on both the social and economic environment in South Africa. HIV/AIDS hits at the core of the businesses structure - the bottom line. In the absence of a cure for the disease or an effective vaccine, the challenge for all the stakeholders is how to successfully contain and limit the impact of the disease. Intervention programmes such as awareness, knowledge sharing and sero-prevailance testing have the potential to limit HIV/AIDS infections and reduce high-risk behaviours. Whilst education and awareness programmes have been relatively successful in highlighting the dangers of HIV infection, perception, attitudes and behaviours of employees towards HIV/AIDS have dampened voluntary HIV screening initiatives. Many South African organisations have commendable HIV/AIDS education and awareness programmes, however, a concerning fact is that employees are reluctant to avail themselves to voluntary HIV/AIDS testing. Stigmatising attitudes toward persons living with HIV/AIDS may reduce people&rsquo / s willingness to have themselves tested for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). This may increase the risk of transmission. It may also lead to increased absenteeism in the workplace, and workdays lost resulting from excessive sick.<br /> <br /> The aim of the study was to establish what the perceptions and attitudes are of employees at different levels of the organisation with regard to HIV/AIDS testing. A further aim was to identify possible reasons for the poor employee response to voluntary HIV/AIDS testing. It was thus important for this research to gauge employee knowledge, attitude and behaviour toward HIV/AIDS in order for organisations to develop strategies for effective HIV/AIDS counselling and testing programmes.<br /> <br /> The data for this study was collected by means of a self report questionnaire. The questionnaire was administered to a sample of employees across all levels of the organisation using the convenient sample approach to identify the respondents. Two hundred and forty six (246) out of a total of 600 questionnaires distributed were returned, making the response rate a credible 41%.<br /> The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) was used to analyse the data obtained from the questionnaire. Both inferential and descriptive statistical approaches were used to analyse the data. The Analyses Of Variance (ANOVA) was used to determine whether differences exist in the perceptions and attitudes of employees at different levels and groupings in the organisation. Additionally post hoc tests (i.e. the Scheffe test) were applied to all comparisons of means after the analysis of variance.<br /> <br /> The findings of this research are important for the role of HIV/AIDS testing and awareness/preventions strategies implemented in South Africa. It provides more insight as to why employees resist HIV/AIDS testing. It can furthermore assist organisations in developing strategies for implementing effective HIV/AIDS awareness and/or prevention programmes. More specifically, the findings identified ways in which organisations can redesign their intervention programmes so as to encourage a greater number of employees to submit to voluntary HIV/AIDS testing.</p>

<p>Adolescents&rsquo / sexual activity is associated with maternal and child health problems, and sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS. The aim of this study was to assess the sexual behaviour patterns of adolescent schoolgirls and the level of knowledge they have with regard to the prevention and transmission of HIV infection, as well as to determine which factors are associated with their various sexual behaviour patterns. A cross-sectional descriptive survey of 420 adolescent schoolgirls aged 15 to 19 years, from 3 of the 9 secondary schools situated in Petauke District, in rural Zambia, was conducted. The sample of schoolgirls was obtained using a multi-stage systemic sampling technique.</p>

Youth, the World Bank argues, need to become a constituency for reform in developing countries. This case study responds to this challenge by investigating adolescent students' understanding of the relationship between health literacy, HIV/AIDS, and gender in the context of Uganda. The four questions investigated are: (i) What kind of health literacy, HIV/AIDS, and gender-related information is accessible to Ugandan adolescent secondary school students? (ii) In the students' view, what are the factors contributing to health and HIV/AIDS related challenges faced by young people in Uganda today? (iii) According to these students, what is the impact of the debate on gender equality in the fight against health epidemics including HIV/AIDS? and (iv) What do these students consider to be the way forward for Uganda to achieve better health and improve life chances for all? The theoretical framework includes critical pedagogy and indigenous knowledge systems, as well as integrative gender frameworks. Each contributes a different but complementary understanding of adolescent students' perspectives on the issues under investigation. Data were collected in a qualitative study from January 2005 — May, 2007. The data corpus includes: student journals, reflective reports, artifacts/documents, life history interviews, questionnaires, informal ethnographic conversations, focus group discussions and critical inquiry discussions. In response to each of the research questions, the major findings were as follows: i) The students' understanding of the relationship between health literacy, HIV/AIDS, and gender were in part influenced by the media, and in part their own experiences. ii) Poverty and peer pressure impact young people's health practices. iii) Young people want gender equality debates to have a focus on marginalized males as well as females. iv) Youth suggest that education, fair trade, and better health care services are important in the attainment of the "better health for all" goal in Uganda. The study concludes that marginalized groups, especially youth, need opportunities to develop a united voice and be active participants in reform processes. Further, new analysis frameworks are needed to understand the gender/power relations in Uganda.

This thesis examines aspects of the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the Australian community, with a particular emphasis on HIV/AIDS in the context of general practice (or primary care settings). The work has four broad aims: i) To describe the primary prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, following from the arrival of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Australia ii) To describe HIV/STD risk behaviour iii) To summarise previously known evidence of interventions to reduce risk and to raise awareness of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases iv) To contribute new evidence addressing the potential of the general practitioners' role in HIV/STD prevention The first chapter gives a brief review of the history of HIV/AIDS from its discovery in the United States of America to its appearance in Australia and New Zealand, and discusses the Australian response strategies, both initial and continuing, to confine the epidemic. Specifically, the arrival of HIV/AIDS gave rise to increasing awareness of sexually transmitted diseases, which hitherto, although sometimes chronic, were rarely fatal. The public health risk of HIV necessitated swift government action and led to wider acceptance of publicity about sexual behaviour. Although the thesis does not concentrate solely on HIV, this is still an emphasis. This chapter provides useful background to ensuing chapters. Chapter Two provides an overview of behavioural risk in sexually transmitted diseases. It gives a review of risk factor prevalence studies, and introduces risk behaviour and cognitive models of behaviour change, as applied to STD risk. Sexual behaviour is a complex social interaction, usually involving more than one person, and relying on the personality and behaviour patterns intrinsic to the individuals taking part. It is therefore perhaps more challenging to alter than behaviour which is undertaken alone, being dependent on the behaviour and intentions of both parties. Moreover, comprehensive assessment of sexual risk behaviour requires very detailed information about each incident. Its private nature makes accurate data difficult to obtain, and sexual risk behaviour is, correspondingly, difficult to measure. Chapter Three reviews the effectiveness of interventions tested in primary health care settings to reduce sexual risk behaviour. The candidate uses a replicable method to retrieve and critique studies, comparable with standards now required by the Cochrane Collaboration. From 22 studies discussed, nine health interventions were short, 'one-shot', efforts owing to limited time, resources and other practical constraints. This review demonstrates the scarcity of interventions with people who may be perceived as 'low-risk'. Only four interventions were carried out in community health centres and two in university health clinics. One of the university interventions showed no change in sexual behaviour in any of three arms of the intervention (Wenger, Greenberg et al 1992) while the other showed an increase in condom use in both groups, although the intervention group's self-efficacy and assertiveness also improved (Sikkema, Winett & Lombard 1995). The rationale for the intervention, where given, is described. Chapter Four analyses the content, format and quality of sexual health information brochures available in New South Wales at the time of the candidate's own planning for an interventional study. One of the most effective ways to disseminate information widely is by the use of educational literature, especially when the subject material is potentially sensitive or embarrassing to discuss in person. In this chapter, the candidate reviews the literature available at the time of designing the intervention used in Chapter Five. Readability, attractiveness, clarity and the accurate presentation of facts about sexually transmitted disease risk are examined for each pamphlet. Forty-seven pamphlets were scored according to the Flesch formula, and twenty-four of these scored in the 'fairly' to 'very difficult' range. There was, therefore, a paucity of easy-to-read material on these subjects. Chapter Five evaluates a general practitioner-based counselling intervention to raise awareness of sexually transmitted diseases and to modify HIV/STD risk behaviour. While adults aged 18-25 are less likely than older cohorts to have a regular general practitioner or to visit often, most people visit a general practitioner at least once a year. This could provide an opportunity for the general practitioner to raise preventive health issues, especially with infrequent attendees. As the effectiveness of an opportunistic intervention about sexual risk behaviour was yet to be tested, the candidate designed an innovative randomised controlled trial to raise awareness of risk and increase preventive behaviour. The participation rate was 90% and 76% consented to followup; however the attrition rate meant that overall only 52% of the original participants completed the follow-up questionnaire. The intervention proved easy and acceptable both to GPs and to patients, and risk perception had increased at three months' follow-up; however this occurred in both the control (odds ratio 2.6) and the intervention group, whose risk perception at baseline was higher (odds ratio 1.3). In order to establish some markers of risk in the general population, Chapter Six analyses data resulting from questions on sexual behaviour asked in the Central Sydney section of the NSW Health Survey. The candidate advocated for inclusion of relevant questions to determine some benchmarks of sexual risk behaviour and to provide an indication of condom use among heterosexuals. Although limited in scope as a result of competing priorities for questions in the survey, results demonstrate that, while a small percentage of people were at risk, those with higher levels of partner change or of alcohol use were the most likely to always use condoms. Specifically, 100% of those with more than four new partners in the last 12 months had used condoms with every new partner. In addition, 'heavy' alcohol users were more likely to report condom use every time with new partners (odds ratio 0.34). To furnish data to inform future planning of educational activities for general practitioners, Chapter Seven presents the results of a survey of Central Sydney general practitioners' opinions and current practices in HIV risk reduction with in the broader context of sexually transmitted disease prevention. The general practitioner is in an ideal position to provide information and advice, especially if future research affirms the impact of such advice on STD risk behaviour. General practitioners in this study said they would be slightly more likely to discuss sexual health matters with young patients than with older ones (p=0.091), but this was not significant. The most cited barrier to discussing sexual health was inadequate remuneration for taking time to do so (over 50% gave this reason). The next most cited obstacle was difficulty in raising the subject of STDs or HIV in routine consultations, but this reason was given by less than half the sample. Forty-six percent had participated in continuing medical education programs in STDs, HIV/AIDS, or hepatitis diagnosis or management; 32% of GPs had patients with HIV, and 55% of all GPs indicated they would like more training in management and continuity of care of HIV patients. Approximately half (51%) wanted more training in sexuality issues, including sexual dysfunction. Chapter Eight reviews the whole thesis and discusses future directions for the research agenda.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2001. / Härtill 6 uppsatser.

Submitted by Automa??o e Estat?stica (sst@bczm.ufrn.br) on 2018-01-16T17:11:33Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TenilleKarinannaDeMoraisPaivaMoura_DISSERT.pdf: 1095126 bytes, checksum: 89507340e1752723b995becdaa5d8f66 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Arlan Eloi Leite Silva (eloihistoriador@yahoo.com.br) on 2018-01-19T14:29:10Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 TenilleKarinannaDeMoraisPaivaMoura_DISSERT.pdf: 1095126 bytes, checksum: 89507340e1752723b995becdaa5d8f66 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-01-19T14:29:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TenilleKarinannaDeMoraisPaivaMoura_DISSERT.pdf: 1095126 bytes, checksum: 89507340e1752723b995becdaa5d8f66 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-08-05 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior (CAPES) / As infec??es oportunistas s?o reconhecidas como uma das complica??es mais comuns em pacientes imunocomprometidos, incluindo aqueles que s?o infectados pelo HIV, os quais est?o em maior risco de doen?a cr?nica e debilitante. Nesse contexto, dois cocc?deos intestinais, Cryptosporidium spp. e Cystoisospora spp., acometem pacientes HIV/AIDS e induzem quadros graves de diarreia e/ou um hist?rico de diarreia alternadamente com um intervalo assintom?tico. Portanto, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a frequ?ncia de Cryptosporidium spp. e Cystoisospora spp. em pacientes internados com HIV/AIDS no Hospital Giselda Trigueiro, no per?odo de novembro de 2015 a mar?o de 2017. Neste estudo foi aplicado question?rio s?cio-econ?mico, feita consulta dos prontu?rios, e tamb?m foram colhidas 72 amostras fecais para investiga??o parasitol?gica pelos m?todos de concentra??o de Seather, Ritchie e Colora??o Ziehl-Neelsen modificado; bem como, detec??o de coproant?geno de Cryptosporidium spp. utilizando o ensaio imunoenzim?tico (ELISA). A amostra foi composta de 75% de homens e 25% de mulheres com idade variando entre 20 e 80 anos. A frequ?ncia de Cryptosporidium spp foi de 2,2%, atrav?s do ensaio imunoenzim?tico, e de Cystoisospora spp. foi de 6,9%, atrav?s dos m?todos de Ritchie e colora??o Zeehl-Neelsen modificado. Todos os pacientes faziam uso de Sulfametaxol e Trimetoprim e apresentavam no momento da coleta um quadro cl?nico de diarr?ia. Entre os pacientes positivos para estes cocc?deos, a contagem de linf?citos T CD4+ foi abaixo de 200 c?lulas/mm3 de sangue. / Opportunistic infections are recognized as one of the most common complications in immunocompromised patients, including those who are infected with HIV, who are at increased risk of chronic and illness.In this context, two intestinal coccidians, Cryptosporidium spp. and Cystoisospora spp., affect HIV / AIDS patients and induce severe diarrhea and / or a history of diarrhea alternately with an asymptomatic interval. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the frequency of Cryptosporidium spp. and Cystoisospora spp. in patients hospitalized with HIV/AIDS at the Hospital Giselda Trigueiro, between 2015 and 2017. In this study, a socioeconomic questionnaire was applied, and 72 fecal samples were collected for parasitological investigation using the methods of Seather, Ritchie and Modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining; as well as, detection of Cryptosporidium spp. coproantigen by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The sample consisted of 75% of men and 25% of women with ages ranging from 20 to 80 years. The frequency of Cryptosporidium spp. was 2.2%, through the immunoenzymatic assay, and Cystoisospora spp. was 6.9%, using Richie's methods and modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining. All patients used trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and presented diarrhea at the time of collection. Among the positive patients for these coccidians, the CD4 + T lymphocyte count was below 200 cells/mm3 of blood.

AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OF MELISSA J. HAITHCOX, for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in HEALTH EDUCATION, presented on June 29, 2009 at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: Social Support Experiences of HIV Positive HIV/AIDS Coalition Participants: A Grounded Theory Approach MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Kathleen Welshimer For more than twenty-five years HIV/AIDS has overwhelmed and devastated all corners of the world, including the United States. Grassroots organizations and governmental have responded to this devastation by implementing various strategies, including community coalitions, to counteract the social and economic effects of HIV. While HIV/AIDS coalitions resemble other health promotion coalitions, they differ because People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs) are federally mandated or required by the funder to participate. While it is thought that PLWHA membership is spurred largely by these mandates, other motivation and incentive to participate have gone undocumented. There is a plethora of research regarding membership and factors related to the success of HIV/AIDS coalitions, there is little focus on the influence of social support on community coalitions. The purpose of this study was to document the types and perception of social support experiences of People Living With HIV/AIDS with regard to their participation in HIV/AIDS coalitions. This study used a qualitative research design, guided by a grounded theory approach, to investigate and describe the social support experiences of HIV positive adults who participate in HIV/AIDS coalitions. Data collection consisted of 13 semi-structured, in-depth interviews and the researcher's personal thoughts and observations, recorded in a journal. Six main themes emerged from the data: (a) the acquisition of knowledge and information, (b) the desire to give back and help others, (c) the desire to participate in a "successful" effort, (d) the desire to stay connected through coalition activities, (e) the desire to give and receive social support, (f) PLWHA membership is the most important indicator of coalition success. Themes that emerged from participants' revolved around the need to belong and emotional support. The desire to feel valued was interconnected to most of the themes. In order to feel valued, PLWHAs had a strong desire to give back to others and strived to acquire information and skills to do so. Results revealed the influence of social support on the reasons PLWHAs join, continue or discontinue their participation in HIV/AIDS coalitions, the activities they choose to participate in, and their perception of coalition success. Recommendations for health education include exploring the inner dynamics of a coalition's membership as a way to evaluate coalition success from a more holistic and comprehensive perspective, clarify goals and objectives of HIV/AIDS coalitions to ensure members and leadership are on the same page, and explore the concept of a community organizer to cultivate participation and leadership in PLWHAs.

No description available.

O objeto desta investigação é o espaço da Escola Dominical (ED) como um local de potencialidade para abordar e desenvolver prevenção em HIV/AIDS. Os objetivos específicos foram conhecer a Igreja Evangélica Assembleia de Deus (AD), a Escola Dominical, seu currículo e como o HIV e a AIDS são/ ou podem ser abordados em seu conteúdo curricular de maneira a refletir na vivência e no cotidiano das relações afetivas. Para tanto, foi realizada pesquisa de revisão de literatura descritiva, exploratória e quantitativa sobre a Igreja e Escola Dominical, conteúdo curricular, prevenção em HIV/AIDS. De maneira sucinta são apresentados fatos relacionados à historicidade da Assembleia de Deus no Brasil, sua origem e abordagens teológicas, bem como a ênfase dada à prevenção do HIV/AIDS. Também é discutida a origem da Escola Dominical no mundo, no Brasil, em especial na Assembleia de Deus, sua forma organizacional, burocrática e administrativa, com destaque ao modelo curricular e conteúdo abordado nas diversas faixas etárias que se apresenta. Com isso, procura-se perceber a ocorrência e enfoque dado à abordagem sobre a epidemia de HIV/AIDS. De maneira geral a abordagem relacionada à historicidade destaca a figura dos expoentes Daniel Berg e Gunnar Vingren como fundadores da AD no Brasil. Em relação à Escola Dominical observou-se que sua origem praticamente acompanha a origem da igreja no Brasil. Ela utiliza conteúdo curricular orientado pelo Setor de Educação Cristã, disponibilizado às faixas etárias do maternal ao adulto. Utiliza para isso material padronizado e impresso pela casa Publicadora da Assembleia de Deus, chamado Lições/ Revista da Escola Dominical. É incentivado o aperfeiçoamento de professores da ED através de encontros e cursos específicos e ou literatura impressa. Quanto ao enfoque dado ao vírus HIV e AIDS observou-se que no currículo apresentado não há manifestação relacionado à atuação da ED com relação à prevenção. Quando ocorre abordagem frente a doenças, o mesmo se dá de maneira implícita, num contexto geral sem especificidade direta. Dessa forma, é possível inferir sugestão de conteúdo para possíveis abordagens. / The objective of this investigation is the Sunday School classes (SS) as a potential place to address and develop prevention to HIV/AIDS. Specific objectives were to know the Evangelical Church Assembly of God (AG), the Sunday School, its curriculum and how HIV and AIDS are /or could be approached in its curriculum content, to reflect the experience in daily affective relations. For this, a survey was conducted of literature descriptive review, exploratory and quantitative literature review about the Church and Sunday School, curriculum content, and prevention to HIV/AIDS. Succinctly facts relating to the historicity of the Assembly of God in Brazil, its origin and theological approaches, as well, as the emphasis on prevention of HIV/AIDS are presented. It also discusses the origin of Sunday School in the world, in Brazil, especially in the Assembly of God, its organizational form, bureaucratic and administrative, with emphasis on the curriculum model and content covered in the various age groups as presented. With this, search to understand the occurrence and focus given to the approach to HIV/AIDS. In general the approach related to the historicity highlights the exponents Daniel Berg and Gunnar Vingren as founders of AG in Brazil. Regarding Sunday School it was observed that its origin came almost with the origin of the church in Brazil. It uses content-oriented curriculum of the Division of Christian Education, available to ages from kindergarten to adult. It uses for this standardized material and printed by Publishing House of Assembly of God, called Lessons / Magazine Sunday School. It encourages the development of SS teachers through meetings and specific courses and/or printed literature. As for the focus given to HIV and AIDS It was observed that the curriculum presented no manifestation related to the performance of the SS regarding prevention. When the approach about the disease occurs, it will be at implying form, in a general context without direct specificity. Thus, it is possible to infer suggestion content for possible approaches.