Abstract
This study aims to look into the level of awareness and knowledge on STI’s (HIV in particular), risk-perception and protective behaviour, and disclosure of HIV test results, in a community severely hit by the HIV-epidemic.
67 women, of them 15 (22,4%) HIV-positive, were interviewed in Kiswahili language, using a structured questionnaire. The interviews took place at two health clinics in Moshi, Tanzania, when the women came for follow-up of their lastborn child.
8,8 % of the population in Tanzania are infected by HIV, figuring as a number 11 of countries with the highest HIV prevalence. Women have a slightly higher HIV-prevalence than men, 56%.
More than half of the women (56,1%) reported no monthly income. The great majority, 86,4 %, were currently cohabiting or married.
Analysis shows that the level of awareness (100%) and knowledge of HIV is high. Less than half of the women (42,3%) perceive themselves at risk of being infected with HIV. Even among those feeling at risk, behavioural change, such as condom use, is still not seen. A high proportion of women (67%) find it difficult to even suggest the use of condoms. Disclosure rates are high (88,1%), but seropositive women are less likely to disclose their HIV-status (66,7%). HIV-positives report a higher number of lifetime sexual partners (p-value 0,003), and have more children (p-value 0,041) than HIV-negatives. Positive HIV-serostatus and increasing age is associated (p-value 0,003). HIV-positives were more likely to be single (p-value 0,000), and not living with the father of the child enrolled in the study (p-value 0,000).