Risk factors associated with HIV infection among young persons aged 15–24 years: Evidence from an in-depth analysis of the 2005–06 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey

This study focuses on factors that predispose young persons aged 15–24 years in Zimbabwe to infection from HIV. Using the Mosley and Chen framework, multivariate modelling was used to assess the effect of demographic, socio-economic and behavioural factors on the risk of HIV infection among this target group. The study utilised data from the Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS) conducted in 2005–06. Only the variables that were significant in the bivariate analysis were included in the multivariate binary logistic regression. Young females aged 15–24 years are associated with a significant two-fold elevated risk of HIV infection relative to their male peers (p , 0.000). Young persons aged 15–24 years who were divorced, widowed or not living together have significantly elevated risk compared with their never-married counterparts, OR ¼ 5.267 (p ¼ 0.000); OR ¼ 4.323 (p ¼ 0.000) and OR ¼ 3.272 (p ¼ 0.000), respectively. Young persons whose age at first sexual intercourse was less than 14 years are significantly associated with 2.696 times more risk of HIV infection relative to their peers whose age at first sexual intercourse was 20–24 years (p ¼ 0.000). Young persons aged 15–24years with two or more sex partners in the past 12 months preceding the 2005–06 ZDHS survey had a significantly elevated risk of HIV infection of 1.568 times relative to their counterparts with no sex partners in the same period of time. Great challenges still exist for the control of HIV and AIDS among young persons in Zimbabwe. HIV prevention programmestargeted at young persons aged 15–24 years should provide invigorated focus on marital status, age at sexual debut, number of sexual partners, sexually transmitted infections and condom use so as to mitigate these predisposing factors for HIV infection

Changes in sexual behaviour and practice and HIV prevalence indicators among young people aged 15–24 years in Zambia: An in-depth analysis of the 2001–2002 and 2007 Zambia Demographic and Health Surveys

HIV and AIDS still pose a major public health problem to most countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Zambia included. The objective of the paper is to determine changes in selected sexual behaviour and practice and HIV prevalence indicators between 2001–2002 and 2007. We used the Demographic and Health Survey Indicators Database for the computation of the selected indicators. We further used STATA 10.0 to compute significance tests to test for statistical difference in the indicators. The results indicate some changes in sexual behaviour, as indicated by an increase in abstinence, use of condoms and the decrease in multiple partnerships. The overall percentage of abstinence among never-married young men and women aged 15–24 years in Zambia increased significantly by 15.2% (p = .000) and 5.9% (p = .001) respectively, between 2001–2002 and 2007. A statistically significant increase of 6.6% (p = .029) was observed in the percentage of young women who reported having used a condom during the last time they had had premarital sex. A statistically significant decrease of 11.0% (p = .000) and 1.4% (p = .000) was observed among young men and women, respectively, who reported having multiple partners in the preceding 12 months. The factorial decomposition using multivariate analysis reveals that the indicators which contributed to the statistically significant 2.6% decline in HIV prevalence among young women aged 15–24 years in Zambia include proportion reporting condom use during premarital sex (+6.6%), abstinence (+5.9%), sex before age 15 (24.5%), premarital sex (22.6%), sex before age 18 (22.4%) and proportion reporting multiple partnerships (21.4%). Remarkable strides have been achieved towards promoting responsible sexual behaviour and practice among young people in Zambia. Further research focusing on factors that predispose young women in Zambia to higher risk of infection from HIV is required. The results from this paper should be useful in the design of programmes to control the spread of HIV and AIDS, particularly among young people in Zambia and other sub-Saharan countries.Keywords: sexual behaviour and practice, young people, Demographic and Health Survey, HIV and AIDS, Zambi

Social and economic consequences of HIV and AIDS on children: case study of a high-density community in Harare, Zimbabwe

We present results from a household-based survey that was conducted in Mabvuku, a high-density community in Zimbabwe. The objective of the study was to improve understanding of social and economic consequences of HIV and AIDS on children. Children affected by HIV and AIDS (CABA) formed the treatment group while those not affected by HIV and AIDS (non-CABA) were the control group. We found that many of the differences in the socio-economic indicators that we studied between CABA and non-CABA were not significant. Therefore our results indicate a gloomy scenario for all the children. These results are consistent with existing literature which indicates that the impact of HIV and AIDS is exacerbated by poverty. Based on evidence from this paper, we conclude that programmes and interventions targeted at children should encompass both CABA and non-CABAwithin a framework of sustained commitment to improving the lives of these children. We hope that our findings will be used in the formulation of interventions and strategies to improve the situation of children affected by HIV and AIDS and/or living in impoverished communitie

Optimising mopane worm (<i>Gonimbrasia belina</i>) processing for improved nutritional and microbial quality

Mopane worms (Gonimbrasia belina) is an important source of food and contribute to the nutrition of people who consume them. However, the traditional processing methods may have detrimental effects on the nutritional value and should also guarantee microbial quality. In this study, the nutritional composition and microbial quality of mopane worms processed under different boiling time (0-20 min) and drying temperature (40-60 °C) conditions were investigated and optimised using response surface methodology. An increase in the boiling time at the lowest drying temperature resulted in an increase in protein content and reduction in coliform counts. The optimum conditions of boiling for 20 min and drying at 40 °C resulted in mopane worms with a protein content of 49.4% DW and coliform counts &lt;1.5 log cfu/g. In addition, high concentrations of crude fibre (13.6% DW) and fat (20.2% DW), as well as Fe (19.0 mg/100 g) and Zn (17.9 mg/100 g) were also recorded. A decrease in the total bacterial count, Escherichia coli and yeasts and moulds at the boiling time ≥20 min irrespective of the drying temperature suggested that exposure to heat reduced the microbial growth and contamination. Reduction of the mopane worms’ moisture content (&lt;7%) due to drying further slowed down the rate of microbial growth. The optimal processing conditions (boiling for 20 min and drying at 40 °C) are recommended for pretreatment of mopane worms prior to further processing into various products

The victorious English language: hegemonic practices in the management academy

This study explores hegemonic linguistic processes, that is, the dominant and unreflective use of the English language in the production of textual knowledge accounts. The authors see the production of management knowledge as situated in central or peripheral locations, which they examine from an English language perspective. Their inquiry is based on an empirical study based on the perspectives of 33 management academics (not English language speakers) in (semi) peripheral locations, who have to generate and disseminate knowledge in and through the English language. Although the hegemony of the center in the knowledge production process has long been acknowledged, the specific contribution of this study is to explore how the English language operates as part of the “ideological complex” that produces and maintains this hegemony, as well as how this hegemony is manifested at the local level of publication practices in peripherally located business and management schools

Navigating Authoritative Discourses in a Multilingual Classroom: Conversations With Policy and Practice

Using Bakhtinian concepts of persuasive and authoritative discourse, this study reports on science and English language arts instructional practices in a multilingual, rural, fourth-grade classroom in Kenya. Situated in English as a medium of instruction (EMI) and through the use of case study, the study explores classroom discourse data to illustrate how teachers use instructional practices to reproduce, contest, or navigate prevailing institutional monolingual policies when mediating students’ access to literacy and content. By analyzing classroom discourse, the authors argue that restrictive language policies that aspire for fixity disconnect multilingual learners from their daily realities. In contrast, they call for a (re)construction of multilingual pedagogy that capitalizes on the strengths of learners, teachers, and linguistic communities by embracing students’ languages and language varieties in language learning and literacy development. In particular, implications are drawn for the use of EMI for emerging bilingual and multilingual learners. The authors identify the need to prepare teachers for a multilingual reality through legitimizing multilingual pedagogies such as translanguaging

Infant and Child Mortality in India in the Last Two Decades: A Geospatial Analysis

Studies examining the intricate interplay between poverty, female literacy, child malnutrition, and child mortality are rare in demographic literature. Given the recent focus on Millennium Development Goals 4 (child survival) and 5 (maternal health), we explored whether the geographic regions that were underprivileged in terms of wealth, female literacy, child nutrition, or safe delivery were also grappling with the elevated risk of child mortality; whether there were any spatial outliers; whether these relationships have undergone any significant change over historical time periods.The present paper attempted to investigate these critical questions using data from household surveys like NFHS 1992-1993, NFHS 1998-1999 and DLHS 2002-2004. For the first time, we employed geo-spatial techniques like Moran's-I, univariate LISA, bivariate LISA, spatial error regression, and spatiotemporal regression to address the research problem. For carrying out the geospatial analysis, we classified India into 76 natural regions based on the agro-climatic scheme proposed by Bhat and Zavier (1999) following the Census of India Study and all estimates were generated for each of the geographic regions.This study brings out the stark intra-state and inter-regional disparities in infant and under-five mortality in India over the past two decades. It further reveals, for the first time, that geographic regions that were underprivileged in child nutrition or wealth or female literacy were also likely to be disadvantaged in terms of infant and child survival irrespective of the state to which they belong. While the role of economic status in explaining child malnutrition and child survival has weakened, the effect of mother's education has actually become stronger over time

Sex in the shadow of HIV:A systematic review of prevalence, risk factors, and interventions to reduce sexual risk-taking among HIVpositive adolescents and youth in sub-Saharan Africa

Background Evidence on sexual risk-taking among HIV-positive adolescents and youth in sub-Saharan Africa is urgently needed. This systematic review synthesizes the extant research on prevalence, factors associated with, and interventions to reduce sexual risk-taking among HIV-positive adolescents and youth in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods Studies were located through electronic databases, grey literature, reference harvesting, and contact with researchers. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed. Quantitative studies that reported on HIV-positive participants (10-24 year olds), included data on at least one of eight outcomes (early sexual debut, inconsistent condom use, older partner, transactional sex, multiple sexual partners, sex while intoxicated, sexually transmitted infections, and pregnancy), and were conducted in sub-Saharan Africa were included. Two authors piloted all processes, screened studies, extracted data independently, and resolved any discrepancies. Due to variance in reported rates and factors associated with sexual risk-taking, meta-analyses were not conducted. Results 610 potentially relevant titles/abstracts resulted in the full text review of 251 records. Forty-two records (n=35 studies) reported one or multiple sexual practices for 13,536 HIV-positive adolescents/youth from 13 sub-Saharan African countries. Seventeen cross-sectional studies reported on individual, relationship, family, structural, and HIV-related factors associated with sexual risk-taking. However, the majority of the findings were inconsistent across studies, and most studies scored Conclusions Sexual risk-taking among HIV-positive adolescents and youth is high, with inconclusive evidence on potential determinants. Few known studies test secondary HIV-prevention interventions for HIV-positive youth. Effective and feasible low-cost interventions to reduce risk are urgently needed for this group.</p