Browsing by Subject "Men"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Alcohol use in a rural district in Uganda: findings from community-based and facility-based cross-sectional studies
    (BioMed Central, 2018-04-03) Nalwadda, Oliva; Rathod, Sujit D; Nakku, Juliet; Lund, Crick; Prince, Martin; Kigozi, Fred
    Background Uganda has one of the highest per capita alcohol consumption rates in sub-Saharan Africa. However, the prevalence of alcohol use disorders (AUD) remains unknown in many areas, especially in rural districts. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of alcohol consumption and of alcohol use disorder among men, and to describe the distribution of drinking intensity, among men in in Kamuli District, Uganda. Methods Men attending primary care clinics in Kamuli District were consecutively interviewed in a facility-based cross-sectional study, and a separate group of men were interviewed in a population-based cross-sectional study. In both studies the men were administered a structured questionnaire, which included the alcohol use disorder identification test (AUDIT) to screen for AUD, as well as sections about demographic characteristics, depression screening, internalized stigma for alcohol problems and treatment-seeking. Results Among the 351 men enrolled in the Community study, 21.8% consumed alcohol in the past 12 months, compared to 39.6% of 778 men in the Facility Survey. The proportion of men who screened positive for AUD was 4.1% in the community study and 5.8% in the facility study. AUDIT scores were higher among older men, men with paid/self-employment status and higher PHQ-9 score (P < 0.05). Nearly half (47.5%) of the men with AUDIT-positive scores reported that alcohol use problems had ruined their lives. A majority (55.0%) of men with AUDIT-positive scores did not seek treatment because they did not think AUD was a problem that could be treated. Conclusions Internalized stigma beliefs among AUDIT-positive men impede treatment-seeking. As part of any efforts to increase detection and treatment services for alcohol use problems, routine screening and brief interventions for internalized stigma must be incorporated within the normal clinical routine of primary health care.
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    Open Access
    Condom use and HIV testing behaviours of men working in the construction industry in Western Cape, South Africa
    (2025) Kweku Yakubu, Kamaluddin; Govender, Rajendran
    In 2017, UNAIDS published a report titled “Blind Spot: Reaching Out to Men and Boys”, which highlighted a global pattern where men experience worse outcomes than women in the HIV prevention and treatment cascade. This issue is particularly evident in South Africa, where men have been found to be less engaged in HIV prevention and treatment services compared to women. To address this disparity, targeted interventions are urgently needed to improve HIV- related health outcomes for men. However, many such interventions lack a clear theoretical foundation, making it difficult to replicate or assess their effectiveness. This study addresses this gap by empirically testing the Health Belief Model (HBM) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) within a purposive sample of men who are at high risk for HIV/AIDS and hard-to-reach through traditional health facility-based interventions, male construction workers. The study found that an integrated model combining HBM and TPB constructs provided a statistically significant explanation of HIV testing and condom use. Key findings include the direct influence of perceived threat of HIV/AIDS, attitudes and subjective norms on HIV testing, and the significant role of self-efficacy and attitudes towards condom use on condom use intention. In addition to socio-demographic factors such as age and education, experiential factors associated with the impact of someday antiretroviral (ARV) therapy initiation under Universal Test and Treatment (UTT), such as knowledge of where to obtain ARVs, were also found to directly influence the HBM and the TPB, underscoring the importance of the evolving social context of HIV prevention and treatment in understanding HIV-related health outcomes. Finally, the study offers a structured approach for assessing and documenting theory-based interventions, facilitating systematic investigation and replication across different settings.
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    Factors affecting men’s support for the use of the contraceptive implant by their female intimate partners
    (2020-11-23) Jonas, Kim; Kalichman, Moira; Kalichman, Seth; Morroni, Chelsea; Mathews, Catherine
    Abstract Background Family planning services have been available at no cost in the public health settings of South Africa since 1994, and now include the long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) namely, the contraceptive implant and intra-uterine device (IUD). However, the uptake of LARCs has been declining in the recent years and little is known about the cause of the decline. In many relationships, men may influence their female intimate partner’s contraceptive choices. Thus, men’s involvement in reproductive health decisions and family programming may improve their support for contraceptive use, including the LARC use by their female intimate partners. This study investigated factors affecting men’s support for the use of contraceptive implant by their female intimate partners. Methods A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was conducted among adult men attending a public, primary health clinic in Cape Town, South Africa. Using a structured questionnaire, we measured men’s knowledge, awareness and support of, and attitudes towards use of the contraceptive implant by their female intimate partners. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Results The sample included 65 men with a mean age of 31.2 years. Most (76.6%) believed that both men and women should be responsible for family planning. Support for general contraception use by their female intimate partners was prevalent at 80.0%, but only 33.9% reported that they would like their partners to use the implant in the future, while 35.6% were unsure and 30.5% did not support their partner’s use of the implant. Factors significantly associated with men’s support of their partner’s future use of the contraceptive implant included men’s reports that their partner wished to have another child in future, knowledge that the implant is safe for use by women who have not had children, knowledge that the implant can effectively prevent pregnancy for 3 years, and a positive attitude towards the implant’s long-lasting effectiveness. Conclusion Improving men’s knowledge of, and attitudes toward the contraceptive implant might increase their support for their partner’s use of the implant, which in turn might promote uptake of the implant among women. The findings of our study suggest the importance of actively engaging men in reproductive health and family planning programs.
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    Men and ARVs: how does being a man affect access to antiretroviral therapy in South Africa? an investigation among Xhosa-Speaking men in Khayelitsha
    (2004) Beck, Daniel
    This paper aims to improve understanding of the nature and causes of barriers to accessing ARV treatment that affect men and result in their low rates of clinic attendance. The findings are intended to provide a direction for policy in the implementation of the South African government’s Comprehensive Plan for HIV/AIDS. Through a combination of semi-structured interviews and focus groups, experiences and opinions were collected from men living with HIV/AIDS and health workers working at an ARV treatment clinic in Khayelitsha, South Africa. Using an interpretivist approach, and informed by theories of social constructionism, an understanding was formed taking into consideration the complex nature of their realities. Thematic content analysis was selected as the best way of handling a large volume of material spanning a broad range of issues. Only by attempting to understand the nature of Xhosa culture and what it means to be a Xhosa man, was it possible to comprehend the material. Barriers to access manifested themselves at several levels of experience. Stigma, gender issues, preference of traditional medicine, cultural ideals of manhood, and several practical issues, all influenced a man’s ability to acknowledge his HIV status or to seek help. Suggestions to address these problems were made throughout the paper, founded on a combination of interviewees’ opinions and researcher’s analysis. These suggestions are important to acknowledge before a national ARV programme becomes fully implementational.