Is Marital Status a Strategic Parameter in Implementing HIV/AIDS Campaigns in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo?

Abstract

Several researches across the African continent highlight the important role of “marital status” in the magnitude of the HIV/AIDS epidemic because of early marriage for women and peers’ influence to engage in extramarital sex for men. Thus, the present study investigated the existence of significant differences in marital groups regarding their level of HIV/AIDS awareness, attitude towards infected persons, exposure to HIV/AIDS information, accessibility to condoms and sexual behaviour. The results emanating from the statistical analyses of the data collected through a cross - sectional survey revealed that “marital status” is the key to the design and implementation of HIV/AIDS interventions in Kinshasa.