Knowledge, attitudes, and perceived risk of AIDS among urban Rwandan women

Relationship Between HIV Risk Perception and Condom Use: Evidence from a Population-Based Survey in Mozambique

“…In a survey of almost 1,500 Rwandan women, the vast majority had correct knowledge of HIV transmission, but only a small proportion had adopted any protective behavior in the last year. 10 Sexually active students in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, who knew that condom use prevents HIV infection had a reduced likelihood of always using condoms. 11 In Ethiopia, a cohort study of factory workers with a high prevalence of HIV reported high-risk sexual behavior and low condom use, even though the majority mentioned condom use as the best way to prevent HIV.…”

Communicating with the people about HIV infection risk as a basis for planning interventions: Lessons from the Kagera region of Tanzania

“…Knowledge about transmission was also found to be universal, ranging from scientifically correct information to complete misconceptions such as transmission of HIV being by air or water. However, many studies have shown that while general knowledge or awareness about a health problem may increase, there is often little change in behaviour towards solution of the problem due to lack of motivation for internalizing such knowledge to achieve the desired goal (Bwayo et al, 1991;Kapiga et al, 1991;Lindan et al, 1991;Govender et al, 1992;McGrath et al, 1993). Interventions must therefore be performed with these limitations in mind.…”

“…Likewise, many community-based studies have addressed the issue of community participation and the use of community leaders and traditional healers in mobilizing communities in surveys and interventions (Longoria et al, 1991;Seeley et al, 1992;Abdool Karim, 1993). Various studies have been performed in Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Zaire and South Africa to determine people's level of knowledge as well as their attitudes and perceptions regarding AIDS and HIV infection and the influence of such knowledge on taking action for prevention (MacDonald and Smith, 1990;Mathews et al, 1990;McKinnon et al, 1990;Prohaska et al, 1990;Bertrand et al, 1991;Friedland et al, 1991;Strunin, 1991;Lindan et al, 1991;Govender et al, 1992;Muller et al, 1992;Rogstad et al, 1993). However, few studies have assessed the usefulness of returning and communicating research results to the studied communities and subsequently involving them in helping to solve the study problem.…”

Gender Differences in Cues That Affect Condom Use among Adolescents in Lomé, Togo

“…10,12 Previous studies on behaviour change as a response to AIDS risk demonstrate that persons who have personal experience with the AIDS epidemic are more likely to report behaviour change than persons who have no personal experience. 9,14,15 In their three-country study, Macintyre, Brown and Sosler 14 found that knowing someone with AIDS was a significant determinant of behaviour change among adult men in Uganda and Zambia, and approached significance in the same direction in Kenya. Given the high levels of HIV/AIDS in parts of Africa, this cue to action may become the most important factor that affects adoption of protective behaviours.…”

“…8 Previous research on risk-taking behaviours emphasises a number of psychological and behavioural factors that are associated with behaviour change. 9 For example, according to the Health Belief Model, adoption of preventive behaviours is influenced by (1) perceived barriers to performing the behaviour; (2) perceived benefits of performing the behaviour; (3) perceived susceptibility to the outcome; (4) perceived severity of the outcome; and (5) cues to action. 10 Applications of these types of models to adolescent reproductive health outcomes have been predominantly undertaken in the US 11,12 , with recent applications in the developing world (e.g., Ghana 13 ).…”