Knowledge and attitudes of male persons living with HIV in rural areas of Limpopo Province: South Africa

Abstract

With the rising threat of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in Limpopo province as like other provinces of the Republic of South Africa (RSA), male persons young and old are an important group to reach for prevention of HIV education. The purpose of this study was to explore the knowledge and attitudes of HIV among male persons living with HIV in terms of prevention of re-infection. Twelve (12) clinics that offer the services of Anti Retroviral services (ARV) were randomly sampled to include male persons who were diagnosed HIV-Positive aged 21-40 years. Self reporting questionnaires were used to collected data from the respondents. Seventy percent of the respondents reported that they never discussed or unlikely to talk to their partners about use of condoms. Increasing proportions (33.2%) of respondents incorrectly believe that HIV can be transmitted by impossible routes such as kissing and spitting. Majority (74.2%) of respondents believed that re-infections may not occur since they ejaculate outside the women’s vagina. In addition, less than half of the respondents (44.5%) believe HIV can be passed from person to person by sharing clothes, tooth brushes and needles or syringes. Only (30.2%) of respondents were able to correctly identify all the ways HIV can and cannot be passed on. These figures reveal a distinct lack of knowledge around how HIV can pass on from person to person as well as the re-infections. Interventions that would boost male persons’ to improving knowledge of HIV, to have safer sex are also required to enhance HIV prevention practices.