Indigenous beliefs and attitudes to AIDS precautions in a rural South African community: An empirical study

C Liddell, Louise Barrett, Moya Bydawell

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

    19 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Background: It was recently hypothesized that indigenous belief systems might have a bearing on attitudes toward HIV/AIDS prevention in Southern Africa (1). Purpose: This article comprises the first empirical test of the hypothesis. Methods: Participants (n = 407) lived in a remote rural area of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, and were divided into younger (18-24 years) and older (35-45 years) cohorts. All participants completed a questionnaire measuring Attitudes to AIDS Precautions, indigenous knowledge, indigenous beliefs about ancestral protection, and indigenous beliefs about illness. Results: Indigenous beliefs pertaining to health behavior emerged as multidimensional in both structure and effect. Among older participants, there were significant associations between indigenous belief measures and Attitudes to AIDS Precautions. In this group, a strong belief in ancestral protection was associated with more negative Attitudes to AIDS Precautions, whereas a strong belief in traditional explanations for illness was associated with more positive Attitudes to AIDS Precautions. The indigenous beliefs measures were not associated with Attitudes to AIDS Precautions among younger participants. Conclusions: The data lend modest support to the hypothesis that indigenous belie have a measurable association with attitudes to AIDS prevention, although these associations may be diminishing across generations. Further research, exploring a wider range of indigenous beliefs and focusing on actual precautionary behaviors rather than attitudes, seems merited.
    LanguageEnglish
    Pages218-225
    JournalAnnals of Behavioral Medicine
    Volume32
    Issue number3
    Publication statusPublished - 2006

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    Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
    Southern Africa
    Health Behavior
    South Africa
    HIV
    Research

    Cite this

    Liddell, C ; Barrett, Louise ; Bydawell, Moya. / Indigenous beliefs and attitudes to AIDS precautions in a rural South African community: An empirical study. In: Annals of Behavioral Medicine. 2006 ; Vol. 32, No. 3. pp. 218-225.
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    abstract = "Background: It was recently hypothesized that indigenous belief systems might have a bearing on attitudes toward HIV/AIDS prevention in Southern Africa (1). Purpose: This article comprises the first empirical test of the hypothesis. Methods: Participants (n = 407) lived in a remote rural area of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, and were divided into younger (18-24 years) and older (35-45 years) cohorts. All participants completed a questionnaire measuring Attitudes to AIDS Precautions, indigenous knowledge, indigenous beliefs about ancestral protection, and indigenous beliefs about illness. Results: Indigenous beliefs pertaining to health behavior emerged as multidimensional in both structure and effect. Among older participants, there were significant associations between indigenous belief measures and Attitudes to AIDS Precautions. In this group, a strong belief in ancestral protection was associated with more negative Attitudes to AIDS Precautions, whereas a strong belief in traditional explanations for illness was associated with more positive Attitudes to AIDS Precautions. The indigenous beliefs measures were not associated with Attitudes to AIDS Precautions among younger participants. Conclusions: The data lend modest support to the hypothesis that indigenous belie have a measurable association with attitudes to AIDS prevention, although these associations may be diminishing across generations. Further research, exploring a wider range of indigenous beliefs and focusing on actual precautionary behaviors rather than attitudes, seems merited.",
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    Liddell, C, Barrett, L & Bydawell, M 2006, 'Indigenous beliefs and attitudes to AIDS precautions in a rural South African community: An empirical study', Annals of Behavioral Medicine, vol. 32, no. 3, pp. 218-225.

    Indigenous beliefs and attitudes to AIDS precautions in a rural South African community: An empirical study. / Liddell, C; Barrett, Louise; Bydawell, Moya.

    In: Annals of Behavioral Medicine, Vol. 32, No. 3, 2006, p. 218-225.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

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    Liddell C, Barrett L, Bydawell M. Indigenous beliefs and attitudes to AIDS precautions in a rural South African community: An empirical study. Annals of Behavioral Medicine. 2006;32(3):218-225.