Developing a Participatory Pedagogical and Multidisciplinary Approach for Integrating HIV/AIDS into University Curriculum

The current framework for integrating HIV/AIDS into university curriculum is mainly informed by the need to make HIV/AIDS education relevant to specific disciplines, and to equip graduates with necessary skills to respond to HIV/AIDS in their professional capacities. This strategy mainly emphasizes content and knowledge and largely ignores the current context in which students live and make sexual decisions. This paper explores the opportunities for utilizing multidisciplinary, and participatory integrated HIV/AIDS education programmes to address sexual risk-taking and students’ vulnerabilities to HIV/AIDS within their university campuses. It examines students’ preferences regarding development and implementation of HIV/AIDS programmes based on the findings of a PhD study conducted at three universities in KwaZulu-Natal province. Data was obtained through a questionnaire survey involving 1400 students, and in-depth interviews with 24 students and three HIV/AIDS coordinators drawn from across the three universities. Non-participant observations were also conducted at each of the three universities. Study findings indicate that participatory programmes and those that have an entertainment component demonstrate currency within student communities. Students rejected the didactic approach undertaken by some communication programmes with some participants arguing that “young people don’t want be told what to do”. A comparative semiotic analysis of HIV/AIDS posters within university campuses revealed a huge disparity between posters designed by students and those obtained from national communication campaigns. The choice of imagery and semantic codes differed significantly. The paper suggests the adoption of a Freirian pedagogical methodology in implementing an integrated and multidisciplinary HIV/AIDS education programmes so as to generate conditions in which students are able to reflect on their own realities and personalize the risk of HIV infection

An analysis of students' responses to ABC & VCT messages at three universities in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa.

Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.The high levels of HIV prevalence amongst young people in several sub-Saharan African countries, in spite of massive HIV prevention interventions, has prompted calls to investigate the contextual factors that drive the epidemic. A crucial component that often has been missed in the literature is an understanding of the mediation processes involved in HIV prevention communication within cultural contexts. The uniqueness of this study is thus premised in its focus on the structures and processes of meaningproduction within social groups, with regard to sex and HIV/AIDS, and how the produced meanings affect the interpretation and impact of HIV prevention texts. Using Hermeneutics, Reception Theory and the Social Constructionism Theory, this study examines how students at University of KwaZulu-Natal, University of Zululand and the Durban University of Technology make sense of the cultural meanings offered by HIV prevention messages, such as ‘Abstinence’, ‘Be faithful’, ‘Condomise’ and Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT). A multi-method approach, involving a questionnaire survey, in-depth interviews with sampled students and HIV/AIDS coordinators, and non-participant observations, was used to obtain data for the study. Findings of the study support the conclusion that the categories of students’ responses to HIVprevention messages were often predicated upon their relationships and participation in the various social groups. Their decisions to adopt/not adopt these prevention options were often based, therefore, on how meanings attached to these options articulated with the social significance of sex and sexual practices. In the context of intersubjective meaning-formation, therefore, the relational categories of abstinence, being faithful, condomise and VCT should not be conceptualised as discreet, frozen categories, but should rather be understood as open-ended possibilities existing concurrently, coextensively and dialectically

Awareness, Knowledge, and Perception of Genetically Modified Foods Among Maize Farmers in Uasin Gishu and Trans-Nzoia Counties, Kenya

Several awareness studies have generally reported that the public is aware of genetically modified foods (GMFs). However, when their knowledge is probed, most studies have indicated that the public tends to fail to demonstrate an understanding of GMFs equivalent to the awareness levels reported. Nevertheless, there is scarce knowledge on the role of information on public knowledge of GMFs. In this study, we administered a semi-structured questionnaire to 298 farmers from Uasin Gishu and Trans-Nzoia counties in Kenya to assess their awareness, test their knowledge, and examine their perception toward GMFs. We then interrogated the farmers’ reported sources of GMFs information to determine the nature and quality of information accessible to them and its role in their knowledge and perceptions toward GMFs. Findings indicate that despite 99.3% of the farmers reporting being aware of GMFs, most had inadequate knowledge. Farmers receive unreliable information from sources that warrant misinformation, confusing them about GMFs. This confusion leads to farmers’ concerns primarily about the perceived risks of GMFs on human health and the environment. Scientific information about GMF is scarce, giving room for misinformation and increasing farmers’ anxiety and scepticism about GMFs. Still, farmers were found to be more optimistic than negative toward GMFs. The study concludes that inadequacy of knowledge is associated with the nature and quality of information farmers receive. We recommend that scientists and other parties involved with GMF rethink their communication strategies to engage the public with reliable and understandable facts about GM technology and foods to allow farmers and the general public to make informed decisions. Keywords: awareness, GMFs, farmers, genetic modification, perception DOI: 10.7176/JEP/14-20-02 Publication date:July 31st 202

AUDIENCE RECEPTION OF ALCOHOL ABUSE MESSAGES AMONG THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED IN KENYA

Visual impairment is viewed as one of the most threatening disabilities. About 40-50 per cent of the people with disabilities who have visual impairment may be categorized as heavy drinkers. Most studies conducted to establish the information needs of visually impaired people have concentrated on the format of the information. Yet, accessible health information is key to reducing health inequalities in health care experienced among the visually impaired. Very few empirical studies have examined the health information needs of the visually impaired. Some of the gaps related to the types of health information include non-format aspects like the content type, timing and sender of the messages. This study investigates the audience reception of alcohol abuse messages among the visually impaired in Kenya. Using a purposive sampling procedure, 25 participants with visual impairment were identified from rehabilitation centres and institutions for the PWDs within Nairobi County. Data was generated through in-depth interviews, then recorded, transcribed, analyzed thematically, and presented in narrative form according to the themes. Study findings indicate that people with visual impairment were unconformable with the way media consistently portrays them as needing assistance and as an instrument of sympathy to elicit mercy. The visually impaired face difficulties satisfying their information needs through media content that focuses more on visuals and less on audio description. Their exclusion made them perceive that messages were only targeting the general population and thus were not as effective. Nevertheless, they sought assistance from intermediaries such as religious leaders, local authorities, teachers, friends, and close family members when they faced difficulty interpreting messages. Intermediaries largely buffered their challenges in interpreting messages. Apart from tailoring messages to suit the needs of the visually impaired, there is a need to involve them in actively developing and disseminating messages in Kenya.  Article visualizations