Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• DiCarlo, Abby L.
• Mantell, Joanne E.
• Remien, Robert H.
• Zerbe, Allison
• Morris, Danielle
• Pitt, Blanche
• Abrams, Elaine J.
• El-Sadr, Wafaa M.

Titel

'Men usually say that HIV testing is for women': gender dynamics and perceptions of HIV testing in Lesotho

Ist Teil von

• Culture, health & sexuality, 2014-01, Vol.16 (8), p.867-882

Ort / Verlag

London: Routledge

Erscheinungsjahr

2014

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• In Lesotho, men have lower HIV testing rates, less contact with HIV clinical settings and less knowledge of HIV prevention than women. However, women's HIV prevalence has consistently remained higher than men's. This paper explores gender norms, sexual decision-making and perceptions of HIV among a sample of Basotho men and women in order to understand how these factors influence HIV testing and prevention. A total of 200 women and 30 men were interviewed in Lesotho between April and July 2011. Participants reported reluctance among women to share information about HIV prevention and testing with men, and resistance of men to engage with testing and/or prevention services. Findings demonstrate a critical need for educational initiatives for men, among other strategies, to engage men with HIV testing and prevention. This study highlights how gender issues shape perceptions of HIV and sexual decision-making and underlines the importance of engaging men along with women in HIV prevention efforts. More studies are needed to determine the most effective strategies to inform and engage men.