International Journal of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Education and Behavioural Science

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Adolescents and Young Women’s Perceived Reasons for the Continued HIV/AIDS Prevalence in Kumba, Cameroon: A Qualitative Study

Received: 22 May 2015    Accepted: 31 May 2015    Published: 15 June 2015
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Abstract

In Kumba, Cameroon, health education messages apparently succeeded in imparting knowledge but not in changing youths’ risky sexual behaviours. Heterosexual transmission of HIV remains a challenge, especially where female adolescents and young women are not able to negotiate safe sexual practices. The purpose of this study was to examine adolescents and young women’s perceived reasons for the continued HIV/AIDS prevalence in the city of Kumba of the South West region of Cameroon. This region has an HIV/AIDS prevalence of 5.7%, which is above the Cameroon national prevalence of 4.3%. A qualitative research design was adopted, using semi-structured in-depth interviews, conducted with a purposive sample of ten (10) female adolescents and young women, to deliberate on their perceived reasons for the continued spread of HIV/AIDS in Kumba, Cameroon, despite availability of information on the prevention of HIV/AIDS. The participating female adolescents and young women perceived that there is a continued spread of HIV/AIDS in Kumba, Cameroon because of multiple sexual partners and unprotected sexual intercourse, especially among female adolescents, due to poverty; disbelief in the existence of HIV/AIDS and neglect of voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) services. Consequently, health education messages provided knowledge, but did not result in preventive behaviours. Ways should be found for health education messages to result in appropriate actions based on appropriate knowledge. Female adolescents need to be economically empowered and financially independent before they can practice safer sexual intercourse.

DOI 10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20150101.12
Published in International Journal of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Education and Behavioural Science (Volume 1, Issue 1, June 2015)
Page(s) 8-13
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

HIV/AIDS, Unprotected Sexual Intercourse, Multiple Sexual Partners, Poverty, Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT), Female Adolescents, Cameroon

References
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[5] National AIDS Control Committee (NACC), Cameroon, National HIV/AIDS control strategic plan, 2006-2010. Ministry of Public Health, NACC central technical group, Cameroon, 2006.
[6] L. Nussbaum, National AIDS housing coalition. Housing for people living with HIV/AIDS, Cameroon, 2010.
[7] J. L. Arcand, E. D. Wouabe, Teacher training and HIV/AIDS prevention in West Africa: Regression discontinuity design evidence from the Cameroon, Health Economics, vol. 19, pp. 36-54, 2010.
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[9] K. K. Holmes, R. Levine, and M. Weaver, Effectiveness of condoms in preventing sexually transmitted infection, Bulletin of the World Health Organization, vol. 82, 454-461, 2004.
[10] WHO, Treat 3 million by 2005. Summary country profile for HIV/AIDS Treatment scale-up, Cameroon, 2005. From: http://www.who.int/hiv/HIVCP_CMR.pdf
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[12] Bureau Central des Recensement et des Etudes de Population, Livre “Rapport de Presentation, Cameroon, 2010.
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[19] E. C. Haddison, G. Ngeufack-Tsague, M. Noubom, W. Mbatcham, P. M. Ndumbe, and X. Mbopi-Keou, Voluntary counseling and testing for HIV among high school students in the Tiko Health District, Cameroon, Pan Afr Med J, vol. 13:18, 2012.
[20] C. V. K. Deodatus, Voluntary HIV counselling and testing service uptake among primary school teachers in Mwanza, Tanzania: assessment of socio-demographic, psychological and socio-cognitive aspects, Unpublished PhD thesis. Norway, University of Bergen, 2006.
[21] E. J. Kongnyuy, C. S. Wiysonge, R. E. Mbu, P. Nana, and L. Kouam, Wealth and sexual behaviour among men in Cameroon, BMC International Health and Human Rights, vol. 6, 11, 2006.
[22] L. A. Eaton, A. J. Flisher, and L. E. Aaro, “Unsafe sexual behaviour in South African Youth,” Social Science and Medicine, vol. 56, pp. 149-165, 2003.
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Author Information
  • School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Volta Region, Ghana

  • Institute of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy

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    Elvis Enowbeyang Tarkang, Virginio Pietra. (2015). Adolescents and Young Women’s Perceived Reasons for the Continued HIV/AIDS Prevalence in Kumba, Cameroon: A Qualitative Study. International Journal of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Education and Behavioural Science, 1(1), 8-13. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20150101.12

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    Elvis Enowbeyang Tarkang; Virginio Pietra. Adolescents and Young Women’s Perceived Reasons for the Continued HIV/AIDS Prevalence in Kumba, Cameroon: A Qualitative Study. Int. J. HIV/AIDS Prev. Educ. Behav. Sci. 2015, 1(1), 8-13. doi: 10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20150101.12

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    AMA Style

    Elvis Enowbeyang Tarkang, Virginio Pietra. Adolescents and Young Women’s Perceived Reasons for the Continued HIV/AIDS Prevalence in Kumba, Cameroon: A Qualitative Study. Int J HIV/AIDS Prev Educ Behav Sci. 2015;1(1):8-13. doi: 10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20150101.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20150101.12,
      author = {Elvis Enowbeyang Tarkang and Virginio Pietra},
      title = {Adolescents and Young Women’s Perceived Reasons for the Continued HIV/AIDS Prevalence in Kumba, Cameroon: A Qualitative Study},
      journal = {International Journal of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Education and Behavioural Science},
      volume = {1},
      number = {1},
      pages = {8-13},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20150101.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20150101.12},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijhpebs.20150101.12},
      abstract = {In Kumba, Cameroon, health education messages apparently succeeded in imparting knowledge but not in changing youths’ risky sexual behaviours. Heterosexual transmission of HIV remains a challenge, especially where female adolescents and young women are not able to negotiate safe sexual practices. The purpose of this study was to examine adolescents and young women’s perceived reasons for the continued HIV/AIDS prevalence in the city of Kumba of the South West region of Cameroon. This region has an HIV/AIDS prevalence of 5.7%, which is above the Cameroon national prevalence of 4.3%. A qualitative research design was adopted, using semi-structured in-depth interviews, conducted with a purposive sample of ten (10) female adolescents and young women, to deliberate on their perceived reasons for the continued spread of HIV/AIDS in Kumba, Cameroon, despite availability of information on the prevention of HIV/AIDS. The participating female adolescents and young women perceived that there is a continued spread of HIV/AIDS in Kumba, Cameroon because of multiple sexual partners and unprotected sexual intercourse, especially among female adolescents, due to poverty; disbelief in the existence of HIV/AIDS and neglect of voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) services. Consequently, health education messages provided knowledge, but did not result in preventive behaviours. Ways should be found for health education messages to result in appropriate actions based on appropriate knowledge. Female adolescents need to be economically empowered and financially independent before they can practice safer sexual intercourse.},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

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