Health Sciences
Permanent URI for this collection
Browse
Recent Submissions
Item Cervical Cancer Prevention in Rural Namibia: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Community Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in Ohangwena and Kavango West.(International Journal of Sub-Saharan African Research (IJSSAR), 2025-06-28) Ndakukamo, Elizabeth Kaleinasho.; Mahalie, Roswitha.; Hailonga-Van Dijk, Panduleni.Background: Cervical cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women globally. In Namibia, cervical cancer often goes undetected despite its prevention through early detection. Women in rural areas face barriers to screening due to limited access to preventive services, inadequate knowledge, and cultural stigmas, leading to high morbidity and mortality. Objective: The study assessed knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding cervical cancer prevention among the community of the Ohangwena and Kavango West regions in Namibia. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted in various health facilities across these regions. Using purposeful sampling, 228 respondents aged 18-59 participated. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed with SPSS version 29. Results: The findings reveal a moderate level of knowledge of cervical cancer but limited awareness about human papillomavirus, with respondents generally showing a positive attitude toward prevention. However, respondents demonstrated poor screening practices. Conclusion: While the knowledge of cervical cancer is relatively high, significant gaps remain in knowledge regarding human papillomavirus. Positive attitudes towards cervical cancer screening are uplifting. However, structural and cultural barriers impede preventive practices. Unique Contribution: This study provides localised evidence on cervical cancer prevention by examining the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of rural communities in Ohangwena and Kavango West, Namibia. It adds to the limited research on rural populations and identifies key cultural, informational, and systemic barriers to effective prevention. The findings offer a foundation for context-specific interventions and informed public health efforts to improve community engagement in screening and human papillomavirus awareness. Key Recommendation: The findings indicate the potential value of implementing community-based education initiatives that emphasise awareness and the importance of regular screening. Furthermore, integrating cervical cancer education into routine primary healthcare services and school health programmes may support efforts to address existing knowledge gaps and promote early prevention practices within rural settings.Item Community-based elderly care approaches implemented in low and middle-income countries: A scoping review.(Research Journal of Health Sciences, 2025-04-30) Haufiku-Weyulu, Mouyelele.; Mahalie,Roswitha.; Aku-Akai, Larai.Introduction: Globally, the average lifespan has become prolonged in recent years. Strong community-based care services (CBCS) are imperative to maintain the health of older persons when family care falls short. Data on the health and care of older persons in low—and middle-income countries (LMICs) like Namibia are scarce. The review aimed to map the available evidence on CBC approaches implemented in LMICs. Methodology: The review followed the 2022 Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) manual for Evidence Synthesis. Rayyan cloud-based software was used to organize, manage, and remove duplicates. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) were utilized to convey the review's results. Results: The final analysis included 22 articles. Households with older people need extra income to maintain a similar living standard to those without. LMICs face challenges in building comprehensive and sustainable frameworks to support the older population, struggle to provide adequate pensions, have a significant shortage of skilled geriatrics, and rely on informal caregivers as care homes and primary health care systems are insufficient. Conclusion: As the challenge of population aging intensifies, strengthening CBC approaches is essential, given that most older persons prefer to age at home rather than in facilitiesItem Health system constraints in cervical cancer prevention in rural Namibia: A qualitative study(African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine, 2025-08-21) Ndakukamo, Elizabeth Kaleinasho.; Mahalie, Roswitha.; Hailonga-Van Dijk, Panduleni.Background: Cervical cancer remains a pressing public health concern in Namibia, with significant barriers to prevention, particularly in rural areas. Aim: This study explored health system’s challenges and their impact on cervical cancer prevention efforts. Setting: This study was conducted in the Ohangwena and Kavango West regions of Namibia. Methods: A qualitative exploratory design was employed, focusing on healthcare workers directly involved in cervical cancer prevention. In-depth interviews were utilised to collect data from 11 participants from four district hospitals. Thematic analysis, guided by the World Health Organisation’s six health system framework pillars, was used. Results: Key service gaps were identified across critical areas of cervical cancer prevention, including a lack of awareness, a lack of human papillomavirus vaccines and referral screening equipment that limited local outreach services. Other significant findings included the shortage of trained personnel and the manual data systems, which resulted in deficiencies in decision making. Financial constraints, including reliance on non-governmental organisation funding and weak community engagement, exacerbated by cultural stigma, presented leadership challenges. Conclusion: Investing in human resources for health, decentralising budget trends and enhancing data systems are critical for cervical cancer prevention in rural Namibia. Equally important is the active involvement of the community in these efforts. Contribution: This study highlights key health system constraints in the Ohangwena and Kavango West regions.Item Anxiety, Depression, and Suicidal Ideation among Undergraduates of Namibia University of Science and Technology, Windhoek.(International Journal of Sub-Saharan African Research (IJSSAR), 2025) Ndeuyamunye Siseho, Kristine.; Mahalie, Roswitha.Background: University students often experience mental health concerns when they struggle to adapt to the academic environment. This makes undergraduates vulnerable to anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. Meanwhile, scientific data on anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation in Namibia are scant and grossly undocumented. Objective: This study explored anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation among undergraduate of Namibia University of Science and Technology. Methods: Adopting an exploratory qualitative research design, 30 undergraduates at the Namibia University of Science and Technology were sampled using a convenience sampling technique. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with undergraduates aged 18-30, using a semi-structured interview guide. The data were transcribed verbatim and content analysed, from which themes and subthemes emerged. Results: Four themes, namely loneliness, burdensomeness, depression, and poor service provision, emerged from the study. The undergraduate experienced fear due to academic transition and increased workload, unfamiliar environment, financial constraints, unsafe accommodation, and family conflicts, while those having mental disorders were vulnerable to relapse. Conclusion: The study concluded that academic transition, lack of family support, and financial constraints were contributing to anxiety and depression among undergraduates. The current mental illness was identified as a risk factor for suicidal ideation. Unique contribution: This study provided new insight into understanding that undergraduates experience anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. These initiatives require collaboration among universities, policymakers, and mental health professionals to deliver mental health care to undergraduates. Key Recommendation: Comprehensive wellness centre comprising a multi-disciplinary team, mental health support, enabling environment for targeted interventions, for early detection and support for vulnerable students.Item Community-based elderly care approaches implemented in low and middle-income countries: A scoping review.(Research Journal of Health Sciences, 2025-04-30) Haufiku-Weyulu, Mouyelele.; Mahalie,Roswitha.; Aku-Akai, Larai.Introduction: Globally, the average lifespan has become prolonged in recent years. Strong community-based care services (CBCS) are imperative to maintain the health of older persons when family care falls short. Data on the health and care of older persons in low—and middle-income countries (LMICs) like Namibia are scarce. The review aimed to map the available evidence on CBC approaches implemented in LMICs. Methodology: The review followed the 2022 Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) manual for Evidence Synthesis. Rayyan cloud-based software was used to organize, manage, and remove duplicates. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) were utilized to convey the review's results. Results: The final analysis included 22 articles. Households with older people need extra income to maintain a similar living standard to those without. LMICs face challenges in building comprehensive and sustainable frameworks to support the older population, struggle to provide adequate pensions, have a significant shortage of skilled geriatrics, and rely on informal caregivers as care homes and primary health care systems are insufficient. Conclusion: As the challenge of population aging intensifies, strengthening CBC approaches is essential, given that most older persons prefer to age at home rather than in facilitiesItem Application of Machine Learning in the Classification of HIV Medical Care Status for People Living with HIV in Oshana Region of Namibia.(International Journal of Sub-Saharan African Research (IJSSAR), 2025) Nangolo, Marthina.; Zodi, Guy-Alain Lusilao.; Mahalie, Roswitha.; Mateus, Jovita.Background: Monitoring of viral load among pregnant and breastfeeding women augments remote patient management, reduces the risk of mother-to-child transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), helps prevent treatment failure and virological rebound. Objective: This study aimed to develop a machine learning (ML) model that effectively classifies the medical care status of HIV patients, particularly among pregnant and breastfeeding women, using integrated historic data of people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Oshana region, Namibia. Method: A quantitative approach was employed to a cross-sectional dataset of 27,768 patients, from which 22,347 active patients were selected. Feature selection using a Random Forest classifier was used to reduce the risk of model overfitting. Three supervised learning models Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), and a hybrid CNN-LSTM were trained using an 80/20 train-test split. Models were trained under two scenarios: (1) using all 71 demographic and clinical features and (2) using a reduced set of 5 top feature. Results: The hybrid CNN-LSTM achieved the highest performance (99.98% accuracy, 98.46% recall, 99.22% F1-score) and maintained strong results even with fewer features. In contrast, CNN and LSTM models showed reduced recall, highlighting the hybrid model’s superior ability to minimize false negatives, critical for identifying high-risk PBFW. Conclusion: ML models can enhance healthcare decision making by providing accurate predictions to strengthen continuity of HIV care. Unique Contribution: This study provides localized evidence on HIV care in Oshana region, Namibia by applying deep learning to classify the medical care status of pregnant and breastfeeding women. It demonstrates how routine clinical data can support scalable, data-driven interventions to improve continuity of care and reduce treatment failure in resource-limited settings. Key recommendation: Future research should explore alternative hybrid deep learning architectures, optimize complex hyperparameters, and evaluate diverse feature selection techniques. Testing on larger datasets is also recommended to assess scalability and generalizability.Item Mapping Evidence on the Frameworks that Integrate Traditional Birth Attendants into Formal Health Systems in Low-Middle Income Countries: A Scoping Review.(International Journal of Sub-Saharan African Research (IJSSAR), 2025) Haikera, Hertha Kasiku.; Mahalie, Roswith.; Shoopala, Sikunawa.Background: In many countries, traditional birth attendants (TBAs) function independently from the formal health system and thus their practice is often unregulated. The paucity of data and lack of institutionalised feedback between TBAs and Healthcare providers (HCPs) may hinder safe maternal and newborn healthcare practices. Objective: This scoping review explored studies that have been published of frameworks that integrate TBAs into formal health system in low-and-middle income countries (LMICs). Method: Utilising the 2022 Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews; the search strategy yielded 243 peer reviewed articles that were published between 2014-2024. Only 11 articles met the inclusion criteria and were thus included in the final review. Result: The review found that integrative frameworks are built on the need to improve maternal and newborn care rendered by TBAs and secondly, the need to empower community-based maternity care facilitated by TBAs is underscored. Conclusion: Although, TBAs fill the gap by rendering assistance to pregnant women and newborns in LMICs the lack of collaborative frameworks and implementation thereof requires intentional institutionalisation especially in areas where homebirths are still prioritised. Unique contribution: This scoping review maps the evidence of existing frameworks that integrate TBAs into formal health systems in LMICs which aimed at narrowing the communication gap between TBAs and formal HCPs. Key recommendation: There is a need for LMICs to explore modifying and implementing the frameworks presented herein to improve the care provided to women and babies.Item Awareness and Attitude Toward Old-Age Homes among Older Persons in Namibia(International Journal of Sub-Saharan African Research (IJSSAR), 2025) Haufiku-Weyulu, Mouyelele; Roswitha Mahalie; Aku-Akai, LauraBackground: The burgeoning population of older persons is widely acknowledged as a pertinent societal concern. Understanding the attitude and awareness of older persons towards old-age homes is crucial, as these homes are a viable option when family support falls short. Objectives: This study assessed older persons' awareness and attitude toward old-age homes in three selected regions of Namibia. Methods: A mixed-methods, cross-sectional survey design was employed to study individuals aged 60 years and above. Quantitative data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 30 at significance (P < 0.05). Thematic analysis was utilised to interpret qualitative data. Results: The outcomes revealed a marginal disparity in preference for remaining in the community vs relocating to old-age homes, with a statistically significant association among living arrangements, educational attainment, and number of dependents (P<0.001). Interviews with key informants and caregivers revealed pension misuse, transport-related barriers to healthcare, and caregiver challenges, including mood fluctuations, forgetfulness, and inadequate mobility aids to assist older persons. Conclusion: The preferences of older persons in their living places are influenced by significant factors such as education level and familial obligations. Unique Contribution: This study is among the first in Namibia to integrate quantitative and qualitative data on older persons’ awareness and attitude toward old-age homes. It contributes to the limited research on this population and identifies that education, number of dependents, and family obligations influence their living preferences. Moreover, it brings forward the voices of caregivers and community leaders, revealing systemic gaps in training, resources, and awareness. Key Recommendation: The findings underscore the potential value of implementing targeted community awareness campaigns, training caregivers, and expanding affordable, well-equipped old-age homes. Furthermore, policies should strengthen caregiver support and ensure pensions are effectively utilised to enhance the welfare of older persons.Item Awareness and Attitude Toward Old-Age Homes among Older Persons in Namibia(International Journal of Sub-Saharan African Research (IJSSAR), 2025-09) Haufiku-Weyulu, Mouyelele; Mahalie, Roswitha; Aku-Akai, LaraiBackground: The burgeoning population of older persons is widely acknowledged as a pertinent societal concern. Understanding the attitude and awareness of older persons towards old-age homes is crucial, as these homes are a viable option when family support falls short. Objectives: This study assessed older persons' awareness and attitude toward old-age homes in three selected regions of Namibia. Methods: A mixed-methods, cross-sectional survey design was employed to study individuals aged 60 years and above. Quantitative data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 30 at significance (P < 0.05). Thematic analysis was utilised to interpret qualitative data. Results: The outcomes revealed a marginal disparity in preference for remaining in the community vs relocating to old-age homes, with a statistically significant association among living arrangements, educational attainment, and number of dependents (P<0.001). Interviews with key informants and caregivers revealed pension misuse, transport-related barriers to healthcare, and caregiver challenges, including mood fluctuations, forgetfulness, and inadequate mobility aids to assist older persons. Conclusion: The preferences of older persons in their living places are influenced by significant factors such as education level and familial obligations. Unique Contribution: This study is among the first in Namibia to integrate quantitative and qualitative data on older persons’ awareness and attitude toward old-age homes. It contributes to the limited research on this population and identifies that education, number of dependents, and family obligations influence their living preferences. Moreover, it brings forward the voices of caregivers and community leaders, revealing systemic gaps in training, resources, and awareness. Key Recommendation: The findings underscore the potential value of implementing targeted community awareness campaigns, training caregivers, and expanding affordable, well-equipped old-age homes. Furthermore, policies should strengthen caregiver support and ensure pensions are effectively utilised to enhance the welfare of older persons.Item A first syntaxonomic description of the vegetation of the Karstveld in Namibia.(Vegetation Classification and Survey/Pensoft Publishers, 2023-10-24) Strohbach, Ben J.; Strohbach, Marianne M.Aims: The Karstveld in Namibia has been recognized as an area of high plant diversity. However, this area is also recog nised as a hotspot of various forms of degradation including bush encroachment. Minimal baseline data on the compo sition and diversity of vegetation in this area is available, therefore this paper is a first attempt to rectify this data defi ciency. Study area: The Karstveld in Namibia is formed around the Otavi Mountain Range in northern Central Namibia, consisting of strongly karstified carbonate bedrock, rising up to 2000 m a.s.l. The Karstveld includes the Ovambo Basin plains with shallow calcrete soils north of the range, up to the Omuramba Ovambo. Because of orographic effects, the area receives some of the highest rainfall in Namibia, with up to 600 mm per year. Methods: A set of 889 relevés with 868 species was selected from the GVID ID AF-NA-001 database. A partial data set, using trees, shrubs, dwarf shrubs and grasses only, was used for the classification with modified TWINSPAN. The initial result yielded four main groups, according to which the data was split and further classified. Several vegetation types observed during field surveys were not reflected in the classification results; these were refined using Cocktail with known characteristic species. Results: The four main units represented wetlands and grasslands with six associations, a Thornbush savanna – Karstveld tran sition zone with four associations, Kalahari vegetation with four associations and the Karstveld proper with eight asso ciations. The latter are grouped together as the Terminalietea prunioides, with two orders and three alliances recognised under them. We describe 16 associations according to the ICPN. Conclusions: Although the associations presented in this paper are clearly defined, there exists a high degree of diversity within these. The Karstveld is also extraordinary species rich within the context of the arid to semi-arid Namibian environment. Taxonomic reference: Klaassen and Kwembeya (2013) for vascular plants, with the exception of the genus Acacia s.l. (Fabaceae), for which Kyalangalilwa et al. (2013) was followed. Abbreviations: ga = annual grass; gp = perennial grass; GPS = Global Positioning System, referring to a hand-held ground receiver; hl = herb layer, containing all hemicryptophytes, therophytes and geophytes, but excluding grasses (Poaceae); ICPN = International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature (Theurillat et al. 2021); MAP = mean annual precipitation; NMS = nonmetric multidimensional scaling (Kruskal 1964); RDL = Red Data List (IUCN Species Survival Commission 2001); s1 = tall shrubs, i.e. multi-stemmed phanerophytes between 1 and 5 m; s2 = short shrubs, i.e. cha maephytes or ‘dwarf shrubs’ below 1 m; SOTER = Global and National Soils and Terrain Digital Database (FAO 1993); t1 = tall trees, > 10 m; t2 = short trees, between 5 and 10 m; t3 = low trees, i.e. single-stemmed phanerophytes between 2 and 5 m; TWINSPAN = Two Way Indicator Species Analysis (Roleček et al. 2009); WGS84 = World Geodetic System, 1984 ensemblItem Prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus, syphilis, hepatitis B and C in blood donations in Namibia.(BMC Public Health, 2014) Mavenyengwa, Rooyen T.; Mukesi, Munyaradzi; Chipare, Israel; Shoombe, EsraBackground: Transfusion Transmissible Infections (TTIs) such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), syphilis, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are infections which are common in some communities in Southern Africa. It is important to screen blood donations for these infections. Methods: This is a retrospective study which involved reviewing of previous blood donation records for the year 2012 in Namibia. The records were analyzed to determine the prevalence of HIV, syphilis, Hepatitis B and C among blood donations with regard to gender, age and geographical region of the donors. Results: The findings indicated a significantly low prevalence of HIV, syphilis, HBsAg and anti-Hepatitis C among the blood donations. A low infection rate of 1.3% by any of the four tested TTIs was found among the blood donations given by the donor population in Namibia in 2012. Conclusion: The blood donations given by the donor population in Namibia has a low infection rate with the HIV, syphilis, HBsAg and anti-HCV. A strict screening regime must continue to be used as the infections are still present albeit in small numbers.Item Trends in biomedical research in Namibia: 1995-2009.(NUST, 2012) Noden, Bruce H.Research publications are often used as proxies for the scientific progress and development of a particular country. Country-specific bibliometric studies reflect national strategies to build capacity in tertiary education, research, and health services. In Namibia, no study to date has analyzed trends at the country level. The aim of this study was to evaluate the biomedical publication patterns in Namibia between 1995 and 2009. Using the keyword ‘Namibia’ in PubMed and ISI Web of Knowledge, resulting papers were hand searched for information on subject areas, types of studies undertaken, first authorship patterns, and institutions involved in biomedically-focused publications. This study identified 450 publications between 1995 and 2009. Only 129 (28.6%) involved Namibian authors. Just over half (58%) of the studies were carried out in Namibia but varied dramatically by subject area. 52% of Namibian-authored papers were Namibian first-authored with a decreasing trend since 2004. Only 7.5% (34) of the publications involved authors from Namibian universities. Namibia has a strong potential to develop in biomedical research but there is a need for tertiary institutions to modify current policies, continue to diversify sub- areas and become equipped to build capacity with local and international collaborators.Item Novel aspects of the Z and R3 antigens of streptococcus agalactiae revealed by immunological testing.(ASM: American Society for Microbiology, 2013) Maeland, Johan A.; Radtke, Andreas; Lyng, Randi V.; Mavenyengwa, Rooyen T.Group B streptococci (GBS) are important human and bovine pathogens which can be classified by a variety of phenotype- and gene-based techniques. The capsular polysaccharide and strain-variable, surface-anchored proteins are particularly important phenotypic markers. In an earlier study, a previously unrecognized protein antigen called Z was described. It was expressed by 27.2% of GBS strains from Zimbabwe, usually in combination with R3 protein expression. In this study, a putative Z-specific antiserum actually contained antibodies against two different antigens named Z1 and Z2; Z1 was>250 kDa in molecular mass. Z1, Z2, and R3 generated multiple stained bands on Western blots and showed similar chromatographic characteristics with respect to molecular mass, aggregate formation, and charge. Of 28 reference and prototype GBS strains examined, 8/28 (28.5%) isolates expressed one, two, or all three of the Z1, Z2, and R3 antigens; 4/28 expressed all three antigens; 2/28 expressed Z2 and R3; 1/28 expressed Z1 only; and 1/28 expressed R3 only. Twenty (71.5%) of the 28 isolates expressed none of the three antigens. Expression of one or more of these antigens was shown by isolates of the capsular polysaccharide types Ia, Ib, V, and IX and NT strains and occurred in combination with expression of various other strain-variable and surface-localized protein antigens. When used as serosubtype markers, Z1, Z2, and R3 affected existing GBS serotype designations for some of the isolates. For instance, the R3 reference strain Prague 10/84 (ATCC 49447) changed serotype markers from V/R3 to V/R3, Z1, and Z2. Other isolates may change correspondingly, implying consequences for GBS serotyping and research.Item Biomedically-focused research productivity by Namibian authors and institutions 1995-2010.(NUST, 2011) Noden, Bruce H.Publications are the result of individual scientists or ‘webs’ of collaborators who present their scientific observations and share them with the scientific community. A study of authors and institutions who have published provides way to assess a country’s research environment. Using PubMed and ISI Web of Science, this study identified Namibian authors and institutions which published biomedically-focused studies between 1995 and 2010. Results consisted of 150 different biomedically-oriented publications by a total of 190 different authors from 44 different institutions. 89% of the articles by Namibian authors were the results of collaboration, either foreign or Namibian-based. 47% of the papers were 1st authored and 11% were single authored by Namibian-based authors. The majority of Namibian authors (72%) only produced one article while 28% produced 2 or more papers. Further analysis indicated that there has been a negative trend in the number of publications since 1998 which contrasts with the increasing number of institutions which have published at least one article during that period. In total, these results indicate that the biomedical science environment in Namibia has potential to develop and expand. However, it needs support from a national biomedical research strategy based on Namibian-informed research priorities, investment in potential authors and institutions and empowered tertiary institutions taking the lead to equip and build capacity in local collaborators in order to reach its true potential.Item Age-specific mortality patterns in Central Mozambique during and after the end of the Civil War.(BioMed Central, 2011) Noden, Bruce H.; Pearson, John R.C.; Gomes, AurelioBackground: In recent years, vigorous debate has developed concerning how conflicts contribute to the spread of infectious diseases, and in particular, the role of post-conflict situations in the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS. This study details the age-specific mortality patterns among the population in the central provincial capital of Beira, Mozambique, during and after the Mozambican civil war which ended in 1992. Methods: Data was collected from the death register at Beira’s Central Hospital between 1985 and 2003 and descriptively analyzed. Results: The data show two distinct periods: before and after the peace agreements in 1992. Before 1992 (during the civil war), the main impact of mortality was on children below 5 years of age, including still births, accounting for 58% of all deaths. After the war ended in 1992, the pattern shifted dramatically and rapidly to the 15-49 year old age group which accounted for 49% of all deaths by 2003. Conclusions: As under-5 mortality rates were decreasing at the end of the conflict, rates for 24-49 year old adults began to dramatically increase due to AIDS. This study demonstrates that strategies can be implemented during conflicts to decrease mortality rates in one vulnerable population but post-conflict dynamics can bring together other factors which contribute to the rapid spread of other infectious diseases in other vulnerable populations.Item Influence of religious affiliation and education on HIV knowledge and HIV-related sexual behaviors among youth in rural central Mozambique.(Taylor & Francis, 2010) Noden, Bruce H.; Gomes, Aurelio; Ferreira, AldinaThe interactions between religious affiliation, education, HIV knowledge, and HIV-related sexual behaviors among African church youth are poorly understood. In this socio-demographic study, 522 unmarried youth 12-28 years old in rural central Mozambique were surveyed with a structured questionnaire. Using binary logistic regression analysis, we used religious affiliation and education to measure influence on (1) HIV transmission and prevention knowledge and attitudes and (2) HIV-related sexual behaviors among youth. Religiously affiliated males were more likely than non-religious males to know when a condom should be used, respond correctly to HIV transmission questions and respond with less stigma to HIV-related scenarios. Increased levels of education among males corresponded significantly to increased knowledge of condom usage and HIV prevention strategies and less likelihood to respond with stigma. Only education levels influenced young female responses. Religious affiliation and education had minimal effects on sexual activity, condom usage, and multiple partnerships. African Independent Church/Zionist males were 1.6 more likely to be sexually inexperienced than nonreligious males but were also significantly less likely to use condoms (0.23, p=0.024). Non-religious youth were most likely to have visited sex workers and did not use condoms. These results suggest that religious affiliation, possibly as the result of educational opportunities afforded by religious-affiliated schools, is contributing to increased HIV transmission and prevention knowledge among youth in rural Central Mozambique but not influencing HIV-related sexual behavior. The need exists to strengthen the capacity of religious congregations to teach about HIV/AIDS and target non-religious youth with HIV transmission and prevention information.Item AIDS-related knowledge and sexual behaviour among married and previously married persons in rural Mozambique.(2009) Noden, Bruce H.; Gomes, Aurelio; Ferreira, AldinaHIV prevalence in central Mozambique is the highest in the country with high urban rates impacting on the rural areas. To identify potential factors influencing the spread of HIV in three sparsely populated districts in southern Sofala province, 847 married and previously married persons were surveyed for their knowledge, practices and beliefs regarding HIV/AIDS and STIs. 21.9% and 6.5% of males and females, respectively, were engaged in casual sexual partnerships in the past year. Being male, married, educated, and having genital discharge and ulcers in the last year were significantly associated with risky sexual activity. Risky behaviour was significantly associated with being Catholic or Protestant when compared with those from Zionist churches. Knowledge of ABC prevention strategies and condom usage was significantly associated with being male, married, having an STI in the past year, and being educated, particularly at the secondary level (Grade 8+). Attitudes and behaviour were influenced by cultural and religious involvement, as well as sex and marital status. It is imperative that prevention strategies take into account the cultural, economic and religious conditions present in rural African settings to create HIV prevention programmes that are culturally relevant and acceptable to the participants.