Calvin Gwandure

Sexual assault in childhood: Risk HIV and AIDS behaviours in adulthood

Abstract This study examined the hypothesis that sexual assault in childhood is a risk factor in HIV and AIDS prevention and control in adulthood. It comprised 40 participants who were survivors of child sexual abuse and 40 participants who were not sexually abused. The sample had 20 sexually abused men, 20 non sexually abused men, 20 sexually abused women and 20 non sexually abused women. The group that had men and women who had a history of sexual assault reported higher HIV and AIDS risk behaviours than the non-abused comparison group. The survivors of sexual assault also had higher levels of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, suicide ideation and external locus of control. They reported low self-esteem. This unhealthy psychological functioning was found to be a risk factor in HIV and AIDS prevention and control. Implications for future research are discussed.

The ethical concerns of using medical male circumcision in HIV prevention in sub-Saharan Africa

This position paper seeks to explore the ethical concerns surrounding the use of medical male circumcision as an effective method of preventing HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa. The study explores research that looked at the effectiveness of medical male circumcision in clinical trials. While clinical trials reveal that medical male circumcision showed statistically significant results in HIV prevention, there is still a paucity of studies that take into consideration the ethical challenges posed by medical male circumcision in sub-Saharan Africa. This paper argues that rolling out medical male circumcision to the larger community without adequately addressing the ethical concerns could weaken programme initiation, implementation and evaluation in sub-Saharan Africa.

Home-based care for parents with AIDS: impact on children's psychological functioning

Objective: This study explored the concept of home-based care for people living with full-blown AIDS and the impact of this on their childrens psychological functioning. There were 30 children in the study whose parents had full-blown AIDS. The comparison group comprised 30 children. The parents of the children in the comparison group reported that they did not have full-blown AIDS and were not registered as AIDS patients with their community home-based care group. Method: The childrens psychological functioning and performance on cognitive tasks were examined, using the Impact of Event Scale — Revised, the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale (STSS), the Stress Symptoms Checklist, the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL), the British Ability Scales and Daniel and Diacks Graded Spelling Test. Result: The results of the study showed that children whose parents had full-blown AIDS showed mental distress and low cognitive performance on numerical and spelling skills. Conclusion: The findings of the study seem to suggest that although the home-based care concept is a noble and global idea, it should be accompanied by psychological support mechanisms to mitigate the effects of traumatic stress that normally follow exposure to a traumatic event. Suggestions for further research on the topic are discussed.

Promoting children's public participation in South Africa: A social systems control perspective

The paper explores the theoretical application of the social systems control concept derived from Rotters social learning theory to the promotion of childrens public participation in South Africa. The paper describes social systems control concepts and strategies that educators could use to promote childrens public participation at individual and institutional levels. The paper argues that if children were empowered through social systems control training programmes, they would be able to know, seek, and articulate childrens public participation. It is envisaged that exposure of children to social systems control concepts in the educational system may result in children working for the promotion of childrens rights in all social spheres in South Africa. Directions for future research can focus on the need to promote childrens public participation through social systems control training programmes.

The Provision of Employee Assistance Programmes in South African Football Clubs: A Case Study

Abstract The aim of the study was to investigate the perceptions of football players on the provision of employee assistance programmes by a football club in South Africa. The study interviewed eight football players from a premier soccer club in South Africa. The study used interviews to collect data from the football players. The results of this study indicated that football clubs need to have employee assistance programmes for their players. Participants in this study reported that the football club did not provide adequate employee assistance programmes to deal with emotional, medical, insurance, investment, life skills and career development needs of employees. The results indicated that South African football clubs need to promote employee health and morale through the provision of employee assistance programmes. The findings of this study contribute to the rather under-researched area of employee assistance programmes in football clubs in South Africa.

Impact of a Workplace-based HIV and AIDS Risk Reduction Training Intervention

Abstract The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of a workplace-based HIV and AIDS training programme on employees. The study compared the health scores of employees who went through a workplace-based HIV and AIDS training programme and those who did not. The sample was made up of 68 employees drawn from two companies in Johannesburg. The study assessed employees‘ levels of HIV and AIDS risk with particular reference to attitude to condom use, sexual risk cognition, HIV and AIDS risk-taking behaviour, stigma and disclosure. Data collected from the questionnaires administered were analysed using t tests run on statistical analysis software (SAS). The results showed a significant difference in HIV and AIDS risk between the two groups. The training intervention reduced HIV and AIDS risk among employees. Directions for future research could focus on the relationship between organisational involvement and HIV and AIDS risk reduction among employees.

Predicting HIV risk using a locus of control-based model among university students

Objective: The purpose of the study was to predict HIV risk using a locus of control-based intervention. The locus of control-based variables that were used in this study were social systems control, self-control, fatalism and achievement-oriented behaviour. The study sample was made up of 257 university students whose ages ranged from 17–20 years. All the students were black. Method: The study assessed participants’ perceived health control perceptions using Rotters locus of control scale, social systems control scale, self-control scale, fatalism scale, the intellectual responsibility questionnaire and HIV risk assessment questionnaire. The study performed correlational and linear regression analyses using statistical software SAS to establish the relationship between locus of control-based factors and HIV risk. Results: The results showed significant correlations between locus of control-based variables and HIV risk. The locus of control-based model significantly predicted variance in HIV risk. Conclusion: Directions for future research on the relationship between locus of control-based interventions and HIV risk could focus on the development of locus of control-based HIV risk reduction interventions in South African universities.

Reservations on the Use of New HIV Prevention Technologies in HIV Prevention in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract The aim of the study was to explore the effectiveness of New HIV Prevention Technologies in preventing HIV infection among participants in clinical trials. The study assessed the effectiveness of New HIV Prevention Technologies as reported by researchers on the field. Although it is reported in the media that New HIV Prevention Technologies have made a great deal of progress in HIV prevention, research on the ground indicates that the clinical trials have not managed to reduce HIV infection by a great margin despite the fact that some of the clinical trials have been in place for more than two decades in Sub-Saharan Africa. Most of the clinical trials in HIV prevention have not gone beyond phase III. In this study, it is argued that the use of vaccines, microbicides, antiretroviral therapy for discordant couples, pre-exposure prophylaxis and medical male circumcision in HIV prevention in Sub-Saharan Africa needs a paradigm shift because the results reported so far in clinical trials show more challenges than solutions to the prevention of the HIV pandemic in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Delegitimisation of Disliked Political Organisations Through Biased Language and Acronyming

The study investigated the use of biased language and acronyming in political organisations in South Africa and Zimbabwe. The study surveyed the discourses of political parties that were posted on the internet. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse the discourses of the political parties. The results indicated that political organisations used biased language to delegitimise the opposition. The ingroup and outgroup stereotypes were evident in the discourses. Acronyms of opposition political parties were used pejoratively. The findings of this study suggest that political parties in developing democracies have a tendency of using biased language and acronyming to disparage the opposition. Biased language and acronyming of the outgroup in African politics could result in hate speech directed at individuals and political violence.

Gender-Based HIV and AIDS Risk Reduction Training for Health Educators in Katlehong, Johannesburg

Abstract The aim of the study was to improve health educators’ locus of control, self-efficacy, sexual assertiveness, and to reduce HIV and AIDS risk through training. A gender-based HIV and AIDS risk reduction training programme was used to train health educators in Katlehong, Johannesburg. Thirty-three health educators volunteered to participate in the study. Participants were invited through the organisation’s internal communication channels. Participants were recruited from the organisation’s two branches. Participants’ locus of control, selfefficacy, sexual assertiveness and gender-based HIV and AIDS risk were assessed before training and after training. The instruments that were used to assess participants‘ psychological well-being were Roter’s locus of control scale, general self-efficacy scale, sexual assertiveness scale for women, and HIV and AIDS risk was assessed using the gender-based HIV and AIDS risk scale. In addition, a qualitative design that used focus groups to get participants’ views on how they would use the train-the-trainer gender-based skills they got from Tshenolo HIV and AIDS Prevention Project to protect themselves from HIV infection and to empower vulnerable girls and women, people at risk of HIV infection and those living with HIV and AIDS through training. Data were analysed using t related samples tests and thematic content analysis. The results of this study indicated that participants felt that the training programme equipped them with personal skills to deal with gender transformative HIV and AIDS prevention programmes and policies. The perception of participants in this study was that the gender-based training programme had adequately prepared them to help vulnerable groups experiencing gender inequality in the community. The quantitative results indicated an improvement in psychological wellbeing of participants and a significant reduction in HIV and AIDS risk after training. Future studies could focus on the longitudinal relationship between attending a gender-based risk reduction training programme and HIV incidence among participants.