Epidemiological study of drug use in urban and rural secondary schools in Zimbabwe

An epidemiological survey of drug abuse among Zimbabwe's secondary school going youthsIn this survey a total of2 783 secondary school students of both sexes, mean age 15,5 years, from randomly selected schools in both rural and urban areas of Zimbabwe were studied using a self report questionnaire. The results strongly indicated that drug use was quite prevalent among the students. The main drugs involved, in descending order, were: alcohol, tobacco, inhalants (solvents), amphetamines and cannabis. Others included mandrax, tranquilisers, sedatives and the hallucinogen mudzepete. No students reported use of heroin, cocaine, LSD or opium. Drug use increased with age and involved both sexes, the problem being more acute in the urban schools. A differential use pattern is revealed, implying valuable information for targeted prevention efforts

HIV/AIDS and disability organisations in South Africa

Despite the seriousness of the HIV epidemic globally, and in South Africa in particular, little is known about how HIV/AIDS affects disabled people. One important and little explored area is the role that organisations that represent disabled people or that work on behalf of disabled people, are playing in addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic among the disabled people they represent or serve. This paper presents the findings of a nationwide survey of disability organisations in South Africa. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of disability organisations in addressing the HIV epidemic among disabled people in South Africa. The findings suggest that while organisations recognise the importance of providing HIV education, and many have taken steps to do so, disabled people are largely excluded from general HIV prevention messages. Disabled people also have significant difficulties in accessing general health care, relevant for HIV testing and treatment. In a country trying to manage serious social problems with limited resources, this paper highlights the need for increased cooperation and collaboration between relevant parties in order to facilitate the changes necessary for disabled people to access needed health information and care. © 2010 Taylor & Francis.Articl

HIV/AIDS and disability organisations in South Africa

Despite the seriousness of the HIV epidemic globally, and in South Africa in particular, little is known about how HIV/AIDS affects disabled people. One important and little explored area is the role that organisations that represent disabled people or that work on behalf of disabled people, are playing in addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic among the disabled people they represent or serve. This paper presents findings of a nationwide survey of disability organisations in South Africa. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of disability organisations in addressing the HIV epidemic among disabled people in South Africa. The findings suggest that while organisations recognize the importance of providing HIV education, and many have taken steps to do so, disabled people are largely excluded from general HIV prevention messages. Disabled people also have significant difficulties in accessing general health care, relevant to HIV testing and treatment. In a country trying to manage serious social problems with limited resources this paper highlights the need for increased cooperation and collaboration between relevant parties in order to facilitate the changes necessary for disabled people to access needed health information and care.

Gender differences in HIV knowledge and unsafe sexual behaviours among disabled people in South Africa

Purpose: The international literature suggests that disabled people may be at increased risk for HIV infection. There is a growing increasing recognition of this in South Africa, although there remains a paucity of literature on how disabled people are affected by HIV/AIDS. This is a concern given the seriousness of the epidemic here. This paper reports on descriptive data exploring gender differences in HIV knowledge and unsafe sexual behaviours among disabled individuals in South Africa. Method: Data was collected by means of a survey questionnaire from a total sample of 285 disabled individuals in three of the nine provinces in South Africa. Data was analysed by means of descriptive statistics. Results: There are low levels and uncertainty of knowledge about HIV transmission and HIV prevention, with females tending to have lower levels of knowledge than males. Although the importance of condoms in HIV prevention was recognised, there were relatively high levels of reported unsafe sexual behaviours. Males reported higher number of monogamous and concurrent sexual partnerships and sex without a condom after alcohol use. Conclusions: The results support the literature that suggests that disabled people are at risk for HIV infection, and that both male and female individuals with disability are at risk. Implications for Rehabilitation People with disabilities may be at increased risk for HIV infection, yet are often overlooked. Contrary to the myth of asexuality, people with disabilities do have sex. This study indicates lower levels of HIV knowledge among people with disabilities, particularly among women with disabilities. This study also indicates a relatively high prevalence of unsafe sex behaviours among people with disabilities. People with disabilities need to be included in general HIV prevention campaigns. Copyright © 2012 Informa UK, Ltd..Copyright © 2012 Informa UK, Ltd

Disabled persons' knowledge of HIV prevention and access to health care prevention services in South Africa

The main research question in this article is how access to information about HIV/AIDS and level of HIV/ AIDS prevention related knowledge are distributed among disabled people, and whether level of knowledge predicts access to HIV/AIDS related services. A survey was carried out among a sample of 285 disabled people from three provinces in South Africa. Analyses of the data revealed that gender and level of education, together with geographical differences, are key predictors for access to information and knowledge about HIV/AIDS among disabled people. For male respondents number of information sources predicts access to voluntary counselling and testing services and HIV testing, while knowledge about prevention predicts access to Voluntary Counselling and Testing centres. Significant gender differences with regards to information, knowledge and access to services highlight the need for gender specific prevention strategies among disabled people. © 2011 Taylor & Francis