Uganda has experienced the largest decline of HIV prevalence of any country in the
world, from a peak of 15% in 1991 to 5% today. In cooperation with community-based
and faith-based organizations, the Ugandan government has pursued an AIDS
prevention strategy centered on urging people to Abstain from sex, Be faithful to one
partner, or use Condoms (the so-called ABC model). It is believed that the large drop
in AIDS prevalence has been due to behavior change, especially reduction of number
of sexual partners among adults and abstinence and delayed sexual debut among
youth. The purpose of this study was to conduct a qualitative investigation of
Ugandan adolescent's attitudes and values towards relationships and sexuality, and
the ways in which their social environment sends messages and creates perceived
norms which shape sexual behavior, especially the behavior of abstinence. Focus
groups were conducted with youth between the ages of 13 and 16 years in the districts
of Soroti and Masaka. Youth discussed reasons for having relationships, both platonic
and sexual; the benefits and risks of relationships; the proper age for boys and girls to
initiate sexual relationships; messages they have received regarding sexuality and
perceptions of family, peer, and community norms; and values regarding ideal sexual
behavior. Youth expressed that the right age to begin having sex is 18 years and
above, so that sex does not interfere with education and cause other adverse
consequences such as early pregnancy, family strife, and infection with HIV/AIDS. / Graduation date: 2005
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/29711 |
| Date | 11 May 2004 |
| Creators | Herling, Allison M. |
| Contributors | Rossignol, Annette M. |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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