The importance of HIV prevention messaging for orphaned youth in Zimbabwe

Dados Bibliográficos

ID19439554
AutoresErica Haney (0000-0001-9151-4530, a Department of Maternal and Child Health , University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill , USA, autor correspondente), Kavita Singh (0000-0002-0628-2817, a Department of Maternal and Child Health , University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill , USA)
Ano2012
Volume24
Fascículo7
Páginas877-885
Data de publicação2012-07-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessNão
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoAIDS Care (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0954-0121 • E-ISSN: 1360-0451
EditoraInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09540121.2011.648162
PMID22293040
PMCIDPMC3966070
OpenAlexW2102282292
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas1
Referências citadas26

The AIDS epidemic has contributed to a drastic increase in the number of orphans in Zimbabwe. Female adolescent orphans are particularly in jeopardy of contracting HIV due to disadvantages including extreme poverty, low education, and the absent of parental oversight which can lead to higher risk-taking sexual behaviors. By understanding where girls receive education about HIV and who they rely on for information, organizations can effectively modify existing programs to better target this at-risk population. For this study a household survey was conducted which included 216 orphans and 324 non-orphans (n=540), aged 12-17 years, in the resource-poor setting of Hwange District, Zimbabwe. The aims of this article were to examine the differences between orphans and non-orphans in HIV prevention message exposure, level of motivation for learning about HIV, and communication with caregivers about safe sex. The household survey revealed that younger orphans, aged 12-15 years, were more motivated to learn about HIV and had greater HIV messaging exposure in school than non-orphans. These exposure and differences in the levels of motivation between groups dissipated at older ages. Our research also discovered less caregiver communication among orphans than non-orphans. Our findings suggest that HIV programs targeting orphans need to do a better job at keeping older orphans interested in HIV prevention at a time when it matters most. Furthermore, intervention strategies that provide caregiver support are instrumental in effectively delivering prevention messages to girls at home

Economic growth · Environmental health · Family medicine · Population · Poverty · Psychiatry · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · Child Nutrition and Water Access · Medicine · Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare · Psychology · Gerontology