Cultural Challenges in Adherence to HIV Prevention among Youth in Kisarawe District, Tanzania
Abstract
Youth in Tanzania and the world at large are among the vulnerable population to HIV infection. Adherence to HIV prevention remains a challenge in Tanzania despite the efforts to curb the pandemic. The purpose of this study was to examine cultural practices that impede adherence to HIV prevention among the youth. The study adopted a cross-sectional design. The respondents were selected through simple random sampling among secondary school students and out of school youth aged 15–35 years in Kisarawe District Coast Region, Tanzania. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire, non-participant observation and documentary review. A total of 146 respondents were involved in the study. The study findings show that customs that encourage early marriage, values and norms that limit negotiation for safe sex and traditions that limit discussion about sexuality issues were a challenge to adherence to HIV prevention among youth. Adherence to HIV prevention and access to sexuality education and reproductive health information was found to be low among youth. The study concludes that customs encouraging early marriage, values and norms limiting negotiation for safe sexual practices, traditions that limit discussions about sexuality issues and night ceremonies significantly impede youth adherence to HIV prevention. The government and non-governmental organisations should ensure implementation of policies and laws against traditional practices that tend to increase youth vulnerability. HIV prevention programmes targeted to youth should focus on sensitisation on harmful cultural practices and ensure the availability of comprehensive sexual education among the youth population.
Downloads
References
Adimula, A. R., & Ijere, I. N. (2019). Psychological Impacts and Treatment of HIV/AIDS among Nigerian Women: New Perspective toward Cultural Implications and Gender Equality. Madridge Journal of AIDS, 3(1), 50-59.
Bashir, F., Ba Wazir, M., Schumann, B., & Lindvall, K. (2019). The realities of HIV prevention. A closer look at facilitators and challenges faced by HIV prevention programmes in Sudan and Yemen. Global health action, 12(1), 1659098.
Brody, C., Sok, S., Tuot, S., Pantelic, M., Restoy, E., & Yi, S. (2019). Do combination HIV prevention programmes result in increased empowerment, inclusion and agency to demand equal rights for marginalised populations in low-income and middle-income countries? A systematic review. BMJ global health, 4(5), e001560.
Butts, S. A., Kayukwa, A., Langlie, J., Rodriguez, V. J., Alcaide, M. L., Chitalu, N & Jones, D. L. (2018). HIV knowledge and risk among Zambian adolescent and younger adolescent girls: challenges and solutions. Sex education, 18(1), 1-13.
Crano, W. D., Brewer, M. B., & Lac, A. (2014). Principles and methods of social research. Routledge.
Dunor, H. & Urassa, J. K. (2019). School-Based Reproductive Health Education and Teenage Pregnancy: A case of Mtwara Region, Tanzania. Developing Country Studies, 9(1), 20-29.
Kemboi, G. J., Onkware, K., & Ntabo, O. M. (2019). Sociocultural Factors that Perpetuate the Spread of HIV among Women and Girls in Keiyo District, Kenya. African Journal of Gender and Women Studies, 4(1), 1-6.
Mesoudi, A. (2016). Cultural evolution: Integrating psychology, evolution and culture. Current Opinion in Psychology, 7, 17-22.
National Bureau of Statistic (NBS). (2014). Tanzania National Panel Survey Report (NPS) - Wave 3, 2012 - 2013. Dar es Salaam: NBS.
O’Donohue, W. T., Benuto, L. T., & Woodward, T. L. (Eds). (2013). Handbook of Adolescent Health Psychology. New York: Springer
Polly, D., Allman, B., Casto, A., & Norwood, J. (2017). Chapter 12: Sociocultural Perspectives of Learning; In West, R. E. (Eds), Foundations of Learning and Instructional Design Technology. Press Books. Lidtfoundations
Schaffnit, S. B., Urassa, M., & Lawson, D. W. (2019). “Child marriage” in context: exploring local attitudes towards early marriage in rural Tanzania. Sexual and reproductive health matters, 27(1), 93-105.
Tanzania Commission for AIDS (TCAIDS) & Zanzibar AIDS Commission (ZAC) (2018). Tanzania HIV Impact Survey THIS 2016-2017: Final Report. Dar es Salaam: NBS & MHCDGEC.
UNAIDS. (2016). Prevention Gap Report. Retrieved from The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, http://www.unaids.org.
United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation. (2018). International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education; an Evidence-Informed Approach. Paris: UNESCO
United Republic of Tanzania (URT). (2001). National Policy on HIV/AIDS. Dodoma: URT.
United Republic of Tanzania (URT). (2016). Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey and Malaria Indicator Survey. Dar es Salaam: MoHCGEC, MoH, NBS, OCGS & ICF.
United Republic of Tanzania (URT). (2018). National HIV and AIDS Response Report for Tanzania Mainland 2017. United Republic of Tanzania
United Republic of Tanzania, (2007). National Youth Development Policy. Ministry of Labour, Employment and Youth Development.
United Republic of Tanzania, (2010). National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (NSGRP II) Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs. Dar es Salaam: Government Printer.
URT. (2017a). Health Sector HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan. (HSHSP IV) 2017–2022. Dar es Salaam: National Aids Control Programme & Ministry of Health Community Development Gender Elderly & Children. Pp.7-8
Copyright (c) 2020 Bertha Erasto Losioki
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
