Search

Although the incidence of AIDS continues to increase in Zimbabwe, no systematic investigation has been done of the contextual (behavioural and situational) variables important to the tailoring of AIDS educational prevention programmes for those at risk. As part of a World Health Organization-recommended cotrimoxazole prophylaxis programme to 1146 HIV-positive individuals in rural Zimbabwe, data were collected on risk behaviours and characteristics of all participants. Outcomes included condom use, relationship, marital status, duration of the programme and reason for HIV testing. Forty-five participants (4.1%) reported always using condoms, 379 (34.5%) reported occasional use and 673 (61.4%) reported no condom use. Statistical analysis showed significant positive correlations between condom use and participant age, duration of the programme, the reason for HIV testing, knowledge about the partners' HIV status and the partner's awareness of the patient's HIV-positive status. Results reflect the need to target subpopulations, for specific HIV/AIDS education initiatives in rural Africa.

We examined the outcomes of a World Health Organization (WHO) recommended programme offering cotrimoxazole (CTM) prophylaxis to 908 HIV-positive individuals in rural Zimbabwe, who accepted enrolment in the treatment programme. Outcomes included duration in programme, time between visits, relationship and marital status. Mean duration of participation in the programme was 224 days. The mean time between visits decreased from 11.2 weeks, between visit 1 and 2, to 4.3 weeks between visit 11 and 12. Statistical analysis showed significant positive correlations between duration in programme and participant age, participant relationship status and the partner's state of affairs. Statistical analysis showed no significant correlation between duration in programme and gender. Results indicate that if continuation is demonstrated for the first 4 to 6 months, participants will continue with the CTM programme. Results also reflect the constrained feasibility of CTM prophylaxis in rural Africa as well as the need to target subpopulations, such as young people, patients and their spouses for focused HIV/AIDS education initiatives.