Percepção comunitária das actividades de prevenção do HIV/SIDA no distrito de Massinga

Abstract

HIV/AIDS is a disease that affects the Mozambican population in different ways. Although many efforts are being made to contain its spread, cases of infection continue to increase. Studies on how the population perceives the transmitted messages are very rare. This work seeks to contribute to the knowledge of the perception of HIV/AIDS prevention activities in the district of Massinga. The study shows how the perception of HIV/AIDS prevention activities and their influence on sexual behavior varies depending on some socio-demographic variables such as gender, age, marital status, religion, education and occupation. The work contains data that can inform the design, implementation and supervision of new HIV/AIDS prevention strategies not only in Massinga district but also in many other places. After an important review and evaluation of the bibliography on the issue of HIV/AIDS in several libraries of the Faculties of the Eduardo Mondlane University, of the Ministry of Health (Department of Combating AIDS), of the Foundation for Community Development, a questionnaire was produced. was applied to a sample of 96 households (which selected one individual in each household) and a total of 12 key informant interviews. The results of the study show that the existing HIV/AIDS prevention activities in Massinga are of two types, namely impact reduction and prevention, and are concentrated in the Administrative Post of Massinga in the localities of Rovene and Guma. The male population, singles, Catholics, students and respondents from the age groups between 15-24 years old revealed greater knowledge of the ways of transmission and prevention of HIV/AIDS. Despite the knowledge revealed by the population, it was noted that there is a gap between the knowledge of the forms of transmission and the practical observance of prevention methods, a fact observed in the questions related to sexual behavior. Often the gap is the result of the interconnection of various obstacles, such as the unequal distribution of HIV/AIDS prevention activities across the district, religious dogmas, the denial of the existence of HIV/AIDS, lack of credibility in condom use , male dominance in decision-making, lack of means for disseminating information in remote areas, as well as the predominance of female-headed households with few economic opportunities. However, heterosexual relationships and sharing of sharp and sharp instruments could accelerate the pace of HIV/AIDS infections in Massinga district where most respondents are still vulnerable to sexual relationships with multiple partners as they knew nothing about HIV/AIDS. As for the sharing of piercing instruments, the situation becomes complicated in the hot season with the tunga penentracy outbreak, where the population stated that they shared the needles.( TRADUÇÁO NOSSA)