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1 – 10 of 788Shinga Nicole Nyashanu, Mathew Nyashanu and Mandu Stephene Ekpenyong
Sexual transmitted infections (STIs) are associated with high stigma leading to poor sexual health-seeking behaviour and mental health problems. Although human immunodeficiency…
Abstract
Purpose
Sexual transmitted infections (STIs) are associated with high stigma leading to poor sexual health-seeking behaviour and mental health problems. Although human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention has generally been successful in many communities across the world, statistics for young people have remained relatively low, especially among most affected communities such as the black sub-Sahara African (BSSA) communities. This paper aims to explore the barriers to STIs and HIV testing among young BSSA communities living in the UK.
Design/methodology/approach
The research study used an explorative qualitative approach. The study included 6 focus groups comprising 10 people each (N = 60), and 12 one-to-one follow-up interviews were held with the research participants. Two one-to-one follow-up interviews were held from each focus group (N = 12).
Findings
The study found that perceived risk taking, perceived HIV test embarrassment, sexual health professionals’ attitudes, perceived HIV as death sentence, limited educational awareness and general HIV stigma prevented research participants from testing and impacted on their mental health well-being.
Originality/value
There is a need to increase sexual health and mental health education awareness among young BSSA communities. More importantly culturally sensitive interventions to reduce the impact of HIV stigma need to be rolled out in different diverse communities. This study is the first of its kind to look at the barriers affecting young BSSA communities in accessing sexual health testing services in the UK.
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Madison Wyn Silverstein, Rebecca L. Fix and Apryl A. Alexander
Risky sexual behavior (RSB) on college campuses contributes to elevated rates of sexually transmitted infections and sexual assault. Research indicates a positive association…
Abstract
Purpose
Risky sexual behavior (RSB) on college campuses contributes to elevated rates of sexually transmitted infections and sexual assault. Research indicates a positive association between sexual victimization history (SVH) and RSB with alcohol use and sexual sensation seeking as mediators to this association. Hypermasculinity has also been shown to play a moderating role amongst these associations. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to test the associations between RSB, SVH, alcohol use, sexual sensation seeking, and hypermasculinity.
Design/methodology/approach
Participants were 493 undergraduates who completed measures of RSB, SVH, alcohol use, sexual sensation seeking, and hypermasculinity. A moderated mediation model was run examining the association between SVH and RSB, with alcohol use and sexual sensation seeking tested as mediators of the relationship between SVH and RSB. In addition, hypermasculinity was tested as a moderator of the mediated relationship between SVH and the aforementioned mediator variables.
Findings
Alcohol use and sexual sensation seeking partially mediated the association between SVH and RSB. Masculinity moderated the association between SVH and RSB via sexual sensation seeking and between SVH and RSB via alcohol use.
Research limitations/implications
Individuals with SVH might be at a higher risk for alcohol use and sexual sensation seeking, ultimately increasing their risk for RSB. University policy implications include implementing alcohol use and awareness interventions, strengthening sexual victimization policies, and including screenings for SVH at counseling and medical centers.
Originality/value
Previous findings were extended by showing how SVH leads to RSB.
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Neema Florence Mosha and Paul Manda
This paper aims to investigate the level of HIV/AIDS information among undergraduate students at two university colleges in Tanzania, and its role in changing risky sexual…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the level of HIV/AIDS information among undergraduate students at two university colleges in Tanzania, and its role in changing risky sexual behaviour.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 151 undergraduate students from Kilimanjaro Christian Medical College and Moshi University College of Cooperative and Business Studies were surveyed by means of a questionnaire.
Findings
Of respondents 86 per cent were aware of the pandemic and its modes of transmission. The main sources of information were books, journals, magazines, television, internet, DVD/CD, radio and research reports. A total of 32 per cent reported having tested for HIV/AIDS; 40 per cent use condoms during sexual intercourse. Among condom users 63 per cent used them consistently. Factors hindering the use of HIV/AIDS information include the time spent on studies, the unavailability of the information, and the religious, cultural and family background of respondents.
Research limitations/implications
In a country with over 30 university and university colleges, generalization is not possible on the basis of research restricted to a small number.
Practical implications
Universities should establish partnerships and networks with various stakeholders to ensure access to HIV/AIDS information and to share experiences.
Originality/value
The level of HIV/AIDS information among Tanzanian undergraduates is under‐investigated. This paper helps to fill some of the gaps in the research.
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Christina L. Scott, Belinda Carrillo and Irma M. Rivera
With almost half of college undergraduates engaging in friends with benefits relationships (FWBRs), the current study sought to explore the sexual decision making strategies and…
Abstract
Purpose
With almost half of college undergraduates engaging in friends with benefits relationships (FWBRs), the current study sought to explore the sexual decision making strategies and potential physical and psychological health outcomes behind these relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
Using self-report measures, Study 1 asked 207 undergraduates to rate the importance of motivations, maintenance rules, and future outcomes of FWBRs in their own personal experience and for other men and women. Study 2 sampled 142 undergraduate women who were asked to indicate the percentage of time they engaged in sexual behavior under the influence of alcohol or marijuana and the frequency with which they used safe sex practices in an FWBR.
Findings
Both genders appeared equally motivated to begin an FWBR; however women reported establishing permanence rules and avoiding over-attachment in the relationship as significantly more important than men. Men were more likely to prefer that the FWBR remain unchanged, however both genders agreed that a transition to a committed relationship was unlikely. Alcohol use was not significantly more prevalent in an FWBR, nor was the likelihood of practicing safe sex.
Research limitations/implications
Both studies employed the use of self-report surveys from a single university and were subject to social desirability.
Originality/value
Quantitatively examining young adults’ reasoning behind choosing to engage in FWBRs provided insight into their overarching fear of “being hurt” and their preference for “easy access” to sexual experiences. These trends may suggest a shift in dating patterns and a preference for avoiding the emotional complexities of a committed, monogamous relationship.
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Angelo Augusto, Orvalho Augusto, Atija Taquibo, Carina Nhachigule, Narcisa Siyawadya and Eduardo Samo Gudo
The purpose of this paper is to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) among 448 HIV-infected prisoners from 32 prisons in Mozambique.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) among 448 HIV-infected prisoners from 32 prisons in Mozambique.
Design/methodology/approach
All HIV seropositive prisoners were screened for HBV.
Findings
Of the 448 HIV seropositive prisoners, 51 (11.4 percent, 95%CI: 9.3–13.9 percent) were HBsAg-positive and was significantly higher in prisoners aged<25 years.
Originality/value
Data from this study show for the first time that the frequency of HBV among HIV-infected prisoners is high, suggesting that immediate interventions are needed during incarceration.
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Seteamlak Adane Masresha and Gedefaw Diress Alen
The purpose of this paper is to assess the magnitude of parent-adolescent communication on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues and its association with gender and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to assess the magnitude of parent-adolescent communication on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues and its association with gender and premarital sexual practice among school adolescents of Woldia town.
Design/methodology/approach
School-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 368 unmarried secondary and preparatory school adolescents (15–19 years) in Woldia town. Simple random sampling was employed to select study participants. Self-administered questionnaire was used. Data were entered by EPI-Data version 3.0.2 and analyzed by using SPSS version 20.
Findings
In this study, 56.3% of school adolescents had parental communication on sexual and reproductive health issues. The result of this study showed that adolescents who had history of sexual intercourse where 64% less likely to communicate with parents on sexual and reproductive health issues (AOR: 0.36 95% CI: 0.20, 0.65), but there was no association between gender and sexual and reproductive health communication between adolescent and parent (AOR: 1.06, 95% CI: 0.64, 1.75).
Originality/value
Parent-adolescent communication about sexual matters is one of the means that encourages adolescents to adopt responsible sexual behavior. Many children in Africa are uncomfortable to have a communication about sexual and reproductive health issues with their parents because the subject is a taboo topic in most homes.
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Sibusiso Sifunda, Priscilla Reddy, Ronald L. Braithwaite, Torrance Stephens, Robert A.C. Ruiter and Bart van den Borne
To inform future intervention programmes, the purpose of this paper is to explore the psychosocial and contextual determinants of intention to reduce risky sexual behaviour…
Abstract
Purpose
To inform future intervention programmes, the purpose of this paper is to explore the psychosocial and contextual determinants of intention to reduce risky sexual behaviour amongst inmates in South African prisons.
Design/methodology/approach
A cross sectional study using interviewer administered questionnaires was conducted with 357 inmates across four prison facilities in South Africa that were involved in a pre‐release health education intervention for parolees in two provinces.
Findings
About 65 per cent of participants were first time offenders. Almost 50 per cent were unemployed prior to arrest and 66 per cent were married at time of incarceration. Self‐efficacy, general life skills efficacy and sexual communication were the strongest predictors of intention to reduce risky behaviour upon release. High intenders were significantly different from low intenders in their self‐efficacy, sexual communication, attitudes towards condom use and the perceived norm of sex being a non‐utilitarian transaction.
Research limitations/implications
One of the key limitations is the low literacy levels amongst prison inmates. Data also relied heavily on self reports of behaviours that may have occurred prior to the participants being incarcerated.
Originality/value
It is concluded that the exploration of subpopulation specific behavioural determinants is a critical step in the development of effective, contextually‐relevant, health education interventions.
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The paper aims to show the impact of insider/outsider researcher positionality and the lessons from researching the social construction of HIV stigma and sexual health-seeking…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to show the impact of insider/outsider researcher positionality and the lessons from researching the social construction of HIV stigma and sexual health-seeking behaviour within black sub-Sahara African communities (BSSA).
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is a reflection on the impact of researcher positionality based on lessons learnt following a research study on the social construction of HIV stigma and sexual health-seeking behaviour within BSSA communities.
Findings
Researcher positionality has a direct impact on the quality and nature of study outcomes. Depending on the nature and circumstances of a given research study, the researcher status in terms of position (insider or outsider) can be dynamic and instrumental in the level of participation by research participants. In this paper, the authors consider three important interdependent aspects central to conducting research including researcher identity, research participants and the research topic to assess the impact of researcher status on the quality and nature of the information provided by the research participants.
Originality/value
A researcher who is viewed as both an insider/outsider can either positively or negatively influenced the quality and nature of the information given by the research participants.
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Ann Brooks and Vanessa Heaslip
This paper aims to explore the dark side of the relationship between gender, mobility, migration and tourism. Specifically, the paper looks at one form of human trafficking, the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the dark side of the relationship between gender, mobility, migration and tourism. Specifically, the paper looks at one form of human trafficking, the global sex industry and the relationship between sex trafficking and sex tourism. More particularly, the paper examines the global sex industry (Goh, 2009; Sasse, 2000, 2001) and the impact of migration and human rights aspects (Voronova and Radjenovic, 2016) of sex trafficking and sex tourism, as well as the emotional dimensions of trauma, violence and vulnerability (Heaslip, 2016).
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is an interdisciplinary discussion paper combining socio-economic perspectives (Goh, 2009; Brooks and Devasayaham, 2011), human rights perspectives (Cheah, 2006), migration perspectives (Voronova and Radjenovic, 2016), tourism perspectives (Carolin et al., 2015) and health perspectives (Cary et al., 2016; Matos et al., 2013; Reid and Jones, 2011). The contribution of these intersecting perspectives to an understanding of sex trafficking and sex tourism is explored.
Findings
The paper highlights the moral and ethical responsibility of the tourist industry to counteract sex trafficking and sex tourism, an issue which tourism studies have failed to fully engage with. In presenting the human costs of trafficking from a gender perspective, the paper considers the ways in which the tourism industries, in some countries, are attempting to respond.
Research limitations/implications
The originality of the research is the focus on the dark side of the relationship between gender, mobility and tourism through sex trafficking and sex tourism drawing on an interdisciplinary perspective.
Social implications
The paper looks at the individual and social implications of sex trafficking and sex tourism for different countries and states and for the individuals concerned. In addition, it looks at the ways in which the tourism industry is responding to sex trafficking and sex tourism and the social impact of this.
Originality/value
In theorising the relationship between gender, migration, sex trafficking and tourism from an interdisciplinary perspective, exploring the societal and individual impact, this paper provides a framework for further empirical research or policy changes with regard to the intersection of sex trafficking and tourism.
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Purpose: This chapter examines the implementation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) health curricula in medical education, focusing on how this content is…
Abstract
Purpose: This chapter examines the implementation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) health curricula in medical education, focusing on how this content is presented to students to understand if these curricula can fulfill goals of achieving healthcare equity for LGBTQ populations.
Methodology: This research draws on data from six months of participant observation of an academic medical center and school and 28 interviews with medical faculty, students, community members, administrators, and LGBTQ Health Center employees.
Findings: This research has three findings: (1) this medical school has variable definitions for LGBTQ health, making it a hybrid form of knowledge based in (a) understanding the unique health needs of; (b) being culturally competent to; and (c) being a (structural) advocate for LGBTQ patients; (2) LGBTQ health is integrated into multiple courses in the curriculum; and (3) LGBTQ health is becoming a medical specialty frequently delivered to students by LGBTQ health experts.
Research limitations and implications: This research used snowball sampling to recruit participants engaged in LGBTQ health at the institution; it therefore risks self-selection bias. Findings from this study are not generalizable.
Originality: This research argues that LGBTQ health experts engage in a new kind of diversity and inclusion work because (1) these health experts are not always LGBTQ identified; (2) this work is not necessarily unpaid or involuntary; and (3) it involves a hybrid knowledge requiring an understanding of LGBTQ identity, medical knowledge, and social science. Because these LGBTQ health experts opt into this work, and broadly define it, a message available to other physicians and students is that LGBTQ health remains elective.
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