Risk awareness and sexual relationships among youth in the Johannesburg area (original) (raw)
Related papers
The increase in the reported rate of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and sexually transmitted infections among the youth of South Africa has led to a rise in awareness campaigns to combat these epidemics. If health awareness campaigns have an effect on behavioural change, one would expect the youth to abstain from sex and be involved in stable sexual relationships. This quantitative survey, conducted among a sample of 226 Johannesburg youths, was aimed at ascertaining their exposure to sex risks and their stability in sexual relationships. Data was collected by means of a questionnaire, and descriptive as well as inferential statistical analyses were computed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The results revealed a quarter of respondents to have been engaged in risky sexual activities and males in general to be riskier and more sexually active than women. OPSOMMING Die toename in die aangemelde koers van menslike immuniteitsgebreksindroom (MIV), verworwe immuniteitsgebreksindroom (VIGS) en seksueel oordraagbare infeksies onder die jeug in Suid-Afrika het tot 'n toename in bewuswordingsveldtogte gelei om hierdie epidemie hok te slaan. Indien gesondheidsveldtogte 'n effek op gedragsverandering het, kan 'n mens verwag dat die jeug hulself van seksuele omgang sal weerhou en in stabiele seksuele verhoudings betrokke sal wees. 'n Kwantitatiewe opname is onder 226 jeugdiges in Johannesburg gedoen met die doel om hul blootstelling aan seksuele risiko's en stabiele seksuele verhoudings te bepaal. Data-insameling het deur middel van 'n vraelys geskied en beide beskrywende en inferensiële statistiese analise is deur middel van die Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) gedoen. Die resultate het aangetoon dat 'n kwart van die respondente in riskante seksuele aktiwiteite betrokke was en mans was oor die algemeen waaghalsiger en seksueel meer aktief as vroue.
Young people, HIV/AIDS/STIs and sexuality in South Africa: the gap between awareness and behaviour
Acta Paediatrica, 2007
To determine the baseline data of secondary school students in the Midlands district of Kwa-Zulu, Natal, South Africa. The data provide details of students' knowledge about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV and AIDS, spread, prevention, how they can protect themselves from contracting an STI, their general awareness and sources of information, their perceptions of their vulnerability and their sexual practices. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 1113 grade 11 students in 19 randomly allocated secondary schools. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analysed using the SPSS software package. Results: The results confirm that knowledge levels were high for causes and spread of STIs and the participants were well informed about issues relating to protection against STIs and seeking treatment. However, there was significant deviation in reported behaviours. Conclusion: This discrepancy between awareness and behaviour calls for a reorientation of sexuality education to include those elements critical for behavioural change, such as addressing gender discrepancies and promoting skills for communication through planned intervention programmes.
2014
I am particularly grateful to my supervisor, Prof. T. Mgutshini for his valuable and constructive suggestions and motivation; his willingness to devote his precious time, travelling with me the arduous, yet interesting and worthwhile academic journey. My parents, wife and children deserve special recognition for their unwavering support, encouragements and love which they gave me during the course of working on this study. I salute the principal of the school under study, the parents of the participants and the Gauteng Department of Education for giving me permission to conduct this study. Special thanks go to learners who participated in this study.
HIV/AIDS Prevention Knowledge among Youth in Cape Town, South Africa
Journal of Social Sciences, 2007
HIV/AIDS knowledge is an important component of HIV/AIDS risk prevention strategies that may influence engagement in high risk behavior. This paper examines HIV/AIDS prevention knowledge among a representative sample of 4,174 youth living in Cape Town, South Africa. Data come from the Cape Area Panel Study (CAPS), and include black, coloured, and white respondents ages . Using an open-ended question, respondents were asked to name ways people can protect themselves from HIV/AIDS infection. Nearly everyone could name at least one method of preventing HIV infection, and respondents named two methods on average. Condoms, abstinence, and limiting the number of sexual partners/having only one sexual partner were the most frequently named prevention methods. Multivariate analysis was used to analyze correlates of specific forms of HIV/AIDS prevention, as well as the total number of prevention methods named by each respondent. Having had sex, highest grade completed, and race were the most commonly significant correlates across models. Race interaction terms were also significant, suggesting that the significance of HIV/AIDS knowledge correlates varies across racial groups. Overall, the results suggest that more depth of knowledge about HIV/AIDS is needed among South African youth to ensure proper protection from the disease, and that HIV/AIDS education might be more successful if tailored to specific racial/ethnic groups.
Journal of Adolescent Health, 2011
Purpose: To compare the sexual behaviors of young people in South Africa (SA) and the United States (US) with the aim to better understand the potential role of sexual behavior in HIV transmission in these two countries that have strikingly different HIV epidemics. Methods: Nationally representative, population-based surveys of young people aged 18 -24 years from SA (n ϭ 7,548) and the US (n ϭ 13,451) were used for the present study. Results: The prevalence of HIV was 10.2% in SA and Ͻ1% in the US. Young women and men in the US reported an earlier age of first sex than those in SA (mean age of coital debut for women: US [16.5], SA [17.4]; for men: US [16.4], SA [16.7]). The median number of lifetime partners is higher in the US than in SA: women: US (4), SA (2); men: US (4), SA (3). The use of condom at last sex is reported to be lower in the US than in SA: women: US (36.1%), SA (45.4%); men: US (48%), SA (58%). On average, young women in SA report greater age differences with their sex partners than young women in the US. Conclusion: Young people in the US report riskier sexual behaviors than young people in SA, despite the much higher prevalence of HIV infection in SA. Factors above and beyond sexual behavior likely play a key role in the ongoing transmission of HIV in South African youth, and thus should be urgently uncovered to develop maximally effective prevention strategies.
Hiv/Aids and South African Adolescents: Attitudes and Information Needs
Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk, 2014
HIV/AIDS is by far the most serious health hazard of our time and by far the biggest current crisis in South Africa. Prevention of the disease by way of communicating correct knowledge and information, in order to change individuals' and communities' attitudes and sexual behaviour, is of vital importance. This exploratory study utilised qualitative and quantitative methodology. A purposive, non-probability sampling technique was used to administer questionnaires to a sample of adolescents throughout the North West Province. The aim of the study was to assess attitudes and needs of information of high school pupils on various aspects of HIV/AIDS in order to draw up recommendations for a prospective programme to educate adolescents and to influence their attitudes towards HIV/AIDS. It was found that adolescents had an urgent need for more knowledge and information on sexuality and HIV/AIDS, that the idea of condoms has taken on with adolescents and that they have a fair to positive attitude on the problem. It is recommended that a programme be developed to educate adolescents about sexuality and HIV/AIDS in an objective and factual manner. Outsiders should be utilised to implement such a programme. Material and facilities like video's, films, flip charts, books and posters, are indispensable in any such programme. It is vital to indigenise such a programme for use under South African circumstances. Not all schools have all the facilities to their disposal, and therefore the proposed programme should be adaptable to any circumstances.