Factors influencing university students' use of HIV voluntary counselling and testing services : an analysis using the health belief model
- Authors: Musemwa, Shingisai
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Health Belief Model , AIDS (Disease) , College students
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9867 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1448 , Health Belief Model , AIDS (Disease) , College students
- Description: Human Immune Virus (HI)V /Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) has emerged as the most devastating epidemic that the world has experienced. Voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) has proven to be an effective way of preventing and controlling HIV. South African universities provide free VCT services on their campuses; however, these facilities are underused. The study’s objectives were to use the components of the health belief model (HBM) to explore and describe the factors that influenced the decision made by university students who have gone for VCT. The sample consisted of five male students. Data was collected through one-on-one in depth interviews, which were recorded. Data was analysed using thematic analysis, and the components of the HBM were used as codes for the data. Themes were generated for each component. The results indicated that perceived severity, perceived benefits and cues to action played a role in influencing the participants’ decision to go for VCT. In addition, results show that perceived susceptibility had little influence on their decision to go for VCT. Even though participants acknowledged barriers to VCT, they reported that the perceived benefits for VCT outweighed the barriers, and the decision to go for VCT was made. Participants suggested that to increase uptake of VCT on their campus, the university could improve current VCT campaigns, introduce rewards for VCT and introduce couples VCT.
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- Date Issued: 2011
An investigation into the extent to which the socio-economic dimension is addressed in attempts to manage the North-South Sudanese Conflict : with a particular focus on the comprehensive peace agreement of 2005
- Authors: Masabala, Josiah
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Sudan -- Politics and government , Conflict management -- Sudan , Sudan -- Social conditions , Sudan -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPhil
- Identifier: vital:8176 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1551 , Sudan -- Politics and government , Conflict management -- Sudan , Sudan -- Social conditions , Sudan -- Economic conditions
- Description: The socio-economic dimension of conflicts has enjoyed increasing attention in research dealing with the dynamics of contemporary conflict. The underlying assumption of this study is that the socio-economic dimension of conflict can be hugely informative in terms of providing an understanding as to why peace agreements fail and in that sense can contribute to the resolution of conflicts if taken into account during the formulation of peace agreements. This study explores the way in which conflict theory has dealt with conflict and determines to what degree peace agreements in the Sudan have taken into consideration the socio-economic dimension of the conflict between the North and South Sudan since February 1972 to January 2005. This study proposes a number of recommendations in terms of the peace process in the Sudan with possible wider application to other future peace agreements.
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- Date Issued: 2009