‘When I get better I will do the test’: Facilitators and barriers to HIV testing in Northwest Region of Cameroon with implications for TB and HIV/AIDS control programmes

The World Health Organization has recommended collaborative activities between TB and HIV programmes with routine counselling and testing for HIV among TB patients in order to improve the uptake of HIV services. We carried out qualitative research interviews with 21 TB patients in four selected TB and HIV/AIDS treatment centres in the Northwest Region of Cameroon to explore the facilitators and barriers to HIV testing. The desire to be healthy and live longer from knowing one’s status inspired by the anticipated support from loved ones, faith in a supreme being, influence and trust in the medical authority, encouraged HIV testing. Men also demonstrated their masculinity by testing, thus portraying themselves as positive role models for other men. Meanwhile, the overwhelming burden of facing both TB and HIV  simultaneously, influenced by the fear of disclosure of results, harmful gender norms and practices, fear of stigma and discrimination, and misconceptions surrounding HIV/AIDS deterred HIV testing. However, as a result of conflicting emotional experiences regarding to test or not to test, the decision-making process was not straightforward and this complex process needs to be acknowledged by health care providers when advocating for routine HIV testing among TB patients

Conflicting discourses of church youths on masculinity and sexuality in the context of HIV in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

Masculinity studies are fairly new and young churchgoers are an under-researched group in the current Congolese church context. In response to this knowledge gap, this paper attempts to explore discourses of young  churchgoers from deprived areas of Kinshasa regarding masculinity and sexuality in the era of HIV. A series of 16 semi-structured interviews were conducted with unmarried young churchgoers from the Salvation Army, Protestant and Revival churches. The interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using discourse analysis. Five main discourses emerged: ‘we are aware of the church message on sex’, ‘young men need sex’, ‘young women need money’, ‘to use or not to use condoms’ and ‘we trust in the church message’. Although all informants knew and heard church messages against premarital sex, many of them were sexually active. The perception was that young men were engaged in sexual activities with multiple partners as a result of sexual motivations surrounding masculinity and sexual potency, while young women sought multiple partners through transactional and intergenerational sex for economic reasons. These sexual practices of young people conflicted with church messages on sexual abstinence and faithfulness. However, a small number of participants challenged current gender norms and suggested alternative ways of being a man or a woman. To elucidate these  alternatives, we suggest that church youths and church leaders might take concrete actions to deconstruct misconceptions about being men. In this way, they can possibly enhance a frank and fruitful dialogue on sex, sexuality and gender to promote positive masculinities and constructive partnerships to prevent HIV.Keywords: masculinity, sexuality, young churchgoers, HIV prevention, gender equality, DR CongoDans le contexte actuel des e´glises Congolaises, les e´tudes relatives a` la masculinite´ sont presque re´centes et les jeunes chre´tiens constituent un groupe d’individus qui ne font pas l’objet des recherches scientifiques  approfondies. En re´ponse a` cette insuffisance de connaissances dans le contexte a` VIH, le pre´sent article tente d’explorer les discours relatifs a` la masculinite´ et a` la sexualite´ des jeunes chre´tiens issus des  quartiers de´favorise´s de Kinshasa. Une se´rie de 16 interviews semi-structure´es ont e´te´ mene´s aupre`s des jeunes chre´tiens ce´libataires appartenant a` l’Arme´e du Salut, aux e´glises Protestantes et a` celles du Re´veil du Congo. Les interviews ont e´te´ enregistre´es et analyse´es en utilisant la me´thode du discours. Cinq discours ont e´merge´ notamment: « Nous connaissons le message des e´glises au sujet du sexe », « les garc¸ons ont besoin des rapports sexuels », « les filles ont besoin d’argent », « faudrait-il utiliser ou ne pas utiliser les condoms » et « nous croyons dans le message des e´glises ». Alors que tous les participants  connaissaient le message des e´glises qui interdisent les rapports sexuels pre´maritaux, beaucoup d’entre eux e´taient de´ja` sexuellement actifs. Les garc¸ons ont e´te´ perc¸us comme des personnes qui ont des rapports sexuels avec plusieurs partenaires concomitants pour prouver leur masculinite´ et leur puissance sexuelle. Les filles chercheraient a` avoir des rapports sexuels mercantiles et interge´ne´rationnels avec des partenaires  multiples a` des fins e´conomiques. Ces pratiques sexuelles des jeunes s’opposent aux discours des e´glises  qui promeuvent l’abstinence sexuelle et la fide´lite´. Cependant, quelques participants ont remis en cause les normes courantes du genre et ont sugge´re´ des alternatives en ce qui concerne l’identite´ des hommes et des femmes. Pour les e´lucider, nous proposons que les jeunes chre´tiens et les leaders des e´glises puissent mener des actions concre`tes dans le but de de´construire les conceptions errone´es de ce que veut dire eˆtre homme. Ce faisant, ils peuvent probablement maximiser les chances d’un dialogue franc et productif en ce qui concerne le sexe, la sexualite´ et le genre afin de promouvoir la masculinite´ positive et le partenariat  constructif, susceptibles de pre´venir l’infection a` VIH.Mots cle´s: masculinite´, sexualite´, jeunes chre´tiens, pre´vention du VIH, e´galite´ du genre, RD Cong

Endogenous epoxygenases are modulators of monocyte/macrophage activity.

Arachidonic acid is metabolized through three major metabolic pathways, the cyclooxygenase, lipoxygenase and CYP450 enzyme systems. Unlike cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenases, the role of CYP450 epoxygenases in monocyte/macrophage-mediated responses is not known

Additional file 1: of SOX2 expression is associated with a cancer stem cell state and down-regulation of CDX2 in colorectal cancer

Sequences of primers used for RT-PCR. (DOCX 17 kb