| Abstract: | The HIV epidemic has penetrated almost all population groups, including the hard-to-reach rural areas. In addition to expanding geographically, the epidemic is spreading from high-risk groups to the general population. The epidemic affects women hardest, increasing the vulnerability of poor rural women in particular. As women are affected more, the reproductive potential of the society is reduced. It is thus very important to exert much of the prevention efforts on women.
The objective of the study was to assess HIV/AIDS Knowledge, Attitude & Practice among Pastoral Women in Gewane woreda of Afar regional State, Ethiopia.
The study was a community based cross sectional assessment and was carried out during the period May- July 2011, and involved women in the age range of 15-49 years. The level of knowledge, attitude and practice were assessed by means of a questionnaire which focused on transmission, prevention, STI’s, harmful traditional practice, sexual relationship and family discussion on HIV/AIDS.
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A total of 140 women were interviewed. Their mean age was 28.44 +/- 0.81(mean +/- SE) years. The majority (62.9 %) of them were married. More than one half of the respondents (52.86%) did not have any education. Most of the women (62.86%) had siblings. About 99.3 % of the interviewed women reported to have heard about HIV/AIDS for whom the main source of information was family/ friends/ neighbor (46.43%). The majority reported unprotected sex (91.43%) and sharing sharp materials like razor blades or needles contaminated with infected blood (85 %) as common ways of HIV transmission. Majority of the women (76.43 %) of the women believed a person can avoid or reduce the chances of getting HIV. For those who have heard of HIV/AIDS only 64.29 % of the women had heard about STI’s. The women, just like the general population, were stigmatizing people living with AIDS. Educated women demonstrated favorable attitude with regard to sex and risk of infection i.e. any one can be infected by HIV/AIDS (p value= 0.002) or the best prevention is to have only one sexual partner (p value=0.013). Similarly, educated women demonstrated favorable attitude towards the risk factor a healthy looking person can be infected with and transmit HIV/AIDS (n=140; p< 0.001) and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s) increase the risk of getting HIV/AIDS (n=90; p= 0.001). Overall 35.7 % of the women reported that they had discussed
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sexuality and HIV/AIDS issues with their family. The study indicated that the common traditional circumcision (77.86%) was the primary harmful practice. A large proportion (81.43%) of the women had agreed that sexual intercourse should not be committed before marriage. Married women (n= 128; P value=0.005) perceive that condom prevents AIDS better than those who never got married /single/ divorced / widowed.
The knowledge about how HIV is transmitted and the protection method was incomplete among women. Awareness level on protection against HIV was also insufficient among women and there were misunderstandings about it. The study also has indicated that FGM/ FGC were widely practiced harmful traditional practice among pastoral women. The level of understanding of the women on the use of condom and their belief in the prevention of AIDS was very high, though in terms of practicing it is still at a lower level.
Key concepts: HIV/AIDS, knowledge, attitude, Practice, Women and pastoralism. |
