Marseille 2007
| Abstract #219 - AIDS Risk in South African Women: The Influence of Exposure to Violence | ||||
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Session: 37.6: Navigating risk and safety (Parallel) on Tuesday @ 14.00-16.00 in Auditorium/Overflow Chaired by Susan M. Kiene, Danuta Kasprzyk Authors: Presenting Author: Mr Mark Bolden - Howard University College of Medicine, United States |
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| Additional Authors: Dr Kathy Sanders-Phillips, Dr Priscilla Reddy, Dr Kamilah Woodson Coke, Dr Latoya Conner, | ||||
| Aim: Studies of the impact of present and historical social factors on AIDS risk may be important in racially stratified societies where lower status groups are at higher risk for exposure to HIV. In South Africa, apartheid created a stratified system in which groups were legally relegated to secondary social positions and women were exposed to racism, sexism and high levels of violence. Exposure to interpersonal (i.e., violence in the home and/or community) and structural violence (exposure to racism and/or sexism) among women may increase psychological distress which fosters AIDS-related risk behaviors such as drug use and sexual risk-taking. Therefore, this study was designed to examine the influence of violence exposure on psychological functioning and AIDS-prevention knowledge and risk behaviors (drug use, condom use) in Black and Colored women in South Africa. | ||||
| Method / Issue: Surveys that examined the impact of exposure to interpersonal violence and structural violence on psychological functioning (levels of perceived stress, depression, hopelessness, self-esteem), AIDS-prevention knowledge and AIDS risk behaviors (alcohol and tobacco use, condom use) were administered by study staff to a sample of 500 (250 Xhosa speaking (Black); 250 Afrikaans speaking (Colored) women in medical clinics in Cape Town who were predominantly young, and poor with low education. | ||||
| Results / Comments: Preliminary correlational data indicated that violence exposure was positively related to stress, depression and lower self-esteem which, in turn, were related to illegal drug use, more negative attitudes towards condom use, lower perceived power in sexual relationships and less knowledge regarding AIDS prevention. Greater drug use was also related to higher AIDS risk behaviors. Higher exposure to violence at home (R2=.008, p=.050), frequency of racist events experienced in the past year (R2=.0.046, p<0.001), frequency of sexist events in the past year (R2=.077, p=.0001) and negative emotional responses to apartheid (R2=.0.068, p<.0001) were significant predictors of lower levels of AIDS-prevention knowledge, frequency of condom use (R2=.032, p=.002), attitude towards condom use (R2=.022, p=.013), confidence in the ability to use condoms (R2=.069, p<.0001), and perception of sexual relationship power (R2=.018, p=.014). Exposure to sexist and/or racist events in the past year was associated with frequency of condom use (R2=.043, p<.0001; R2=.029, p=.004, respectively), and confidence in the ability to use condoms (R2=.046, p<.0001; R2=.029, p=.004, respectively). | ||||
| Discussion: These are among the first empirical findings on violence exposure and the impact of social stratification on AIDS risk in women in South Africa. These findings are important to our ability to develop effective programs of AIDS prevention in South Africa and other socially stratified countries. Successful programs should address the potential impact of violence exposure on AIDS risk for women and acknowledge the realities of peoples lives as well as the social factors that influence their health decisions and behaviors. In sum, prevention programs in socially stratified countries may require attention to the psychological effects of structural violence as well as the incorporation of violence prevention techniques. | ||||
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