Thesis (MPH.) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / Background: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome still remains the leading cause of
death globally. Understanding students’ views about the risk of Human Immunodeficiency
Virus infection by exploring and describing their perceptions may help to design effective
Human Immunodeficiency Virus prevention interventions. The tertiary institution
environment offers a great opportunity for Human Immunodeficiency Virus high risk
behaviours, including alcohol and drug abuse, unsafe sex, multiple sexual relationships,
intergenerational and transactional sex. Despite the decline in the overall incidence of
Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection, still a significant proportion of the youth
population are at risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection.
Objectives: The study was to explore and describe perception of risk of Human
Immunodeficiency Virus among students at the Institute of Development Management,
Gaborone, Botswana Campus.
Methodology: A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive study using semi-structured
interviews with purposively selected second year Public Health students was conducted.
Interviews were conducted using an interview guide. It was audio recorded until data
saturation was reached, where eight students participated in the study. Voice recordings
were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically.
Results: The findings reveals that some participants perceive themselves to be at risk of
contracting Human Immunodeficiency Virus, while others perceive themselves as being
not at risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection. Several risk factors associated
with Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection, for example, alcohol and drug abuse,
multiple concurrent sexual relationships, intergenerational and transactional sex are
revealed as challenges. They also expressed their fears in relation to Human
Immunodefiency Virus testing, pregnancy and disclosure of Human Immunodeficiency
Virus positive status due to the stigma and discrimination.
Conclusion: High risk behaviours leading to Human Immunodeficiency Virus and
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome prevalence are still common among young
people, hence the need for government and all stakeholders to specifically address them
by coming up with specific behavioural intervention programmes.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ul/oai:ulspace.ul.ac.za:10386/4220 |
| Date | January 2022 |
| Creators | Malefho, Kegomoditswe M. |
| Contributors | Matlala, S. F. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | xii, 78 leaves |
| Relation |
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