A Study of Behaviour Change Communication Messages on Gender Vulnerability to HIV/AIDS in Rural Areas: Spouses in Focus
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2013-03
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Recent studies indicate that rural areas have not been researched well concerning HIV/AIDS
and even if researched, emphasis has been given to numbers. This study was intended to
study behaviour change communication on gender vulnerability to HIV/AIDS in rural areas
by focusing on spousal behaviour. The research employed constructive paradigm as a lens
through which the world is understood. Methodologically, the research followed qualitative
methodology. Data were gathered from spouses, health workers, OSSA (organization for the
social support of AIDS) representative, PLWHA (persons living with HIV/AIDS)
chairperson and HAPCO (HIV/AIDS prevention and control office) representative through
interview and focus group discussion as well as from documents. The data gathered were
analysed using discourse analysis. Results obtained from the document analysis indicated
that there is a gap in the design of the messages concerning representation of audiences in the
messages and presentation of the messages. Findings from interview and focus group
discussion also indicated that there are gaps in the delivery of the messages concerning the
strategy used to make people accept the messages. It was also found that the use of
inappropriate words is forcing HIV patients’ to hide their serostatus and husbands to resist
discussion of HIV/AIDS and related issues. Study of the delivery of the messages indicated
that the interventionists used discourses of fear and blame in delivering the messages, which
iv
triggered hidden resistance from the audiences in some cases. The findings also indicated that
people use expressions which show hatred about condom, and health workers did not do
enough to develop people’s awareness about the issue. The study indicated that there are
three factors that aggravate the spread of the virus in rural areas. One of these factors is that
people stigmatise those living with the virus through their words and this is creating a feeling
fear and revenge in people living with the virus. The other factor is that there is still a
practice of extramarital and premarital sexual relation among the people. The third factor is
that rural people express their hatred towards condom and say that it has to be used by the
unmarried youth, by the educated or by urban people. The overall implication of the study is
that the messages have succeeded in developing people’s awareness about the virus and even
resulted in attitudinal change towards some practices that aggravate the transmission of the
virus. There is, however, a gap in both the design and delivery of the messages in
transforming this attitudinal change into behaviour change.