Factors That Fuel the Spread of Hiv Infection Among the Youth
FACTORS THAT FUEL THE SPREAD OF HIV INFECTION AMONG THE YOUTH
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a blood-borne transmissible virus and globally this virus and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is causing devastation by destroying communities, families and taking away hope for the future.
Malawi has not been spared of the catastrophe brought by HIV/AIDS and the prevalence rate amongst young people between the ages of 15 and 24 remains unacceptably very high. As per the 2008 National Census report, the youth in Malawi comprise over half of the whole population and this is the age group that has disproportionately been affected by HIV/AIDS pandemic which, unfortunately, has no known cure to-date.
In order to fight the spread of HIV amongst the youth it is necessary to know and effectively address the factors that drive the spread of HIV. In Malawi there are several well-documented factors that fuel and facilitate further the spread of HIV among the youth and such a constellation of variables range from cultural determinants across the continuum to socio-economic, environmental, psychosocial and other structural determinants – all related to the whole spectrum of societal life, thus they are social, cultural and economic in nature.
The primary risk factor that is exponentially perpetrating the spread of HIV in youths is the widespread multiple and concurrent sexual partnership. Especially so among young men who have good economic background and having several sexual partners is socially seen as prestigious - a sign of popularity, potency and manhood. On the other hand, peer pressure and competition to out-do each other among the youth is driving young men into multiple sexual relationships. Among the youth, those who abstain or resist advances from the opposite sex are labelled with derogatory terms like ‘ndiwe wotsalira’ (slow and backwards) while those young men who have multiple partners, especially with beautiful girls are labelled as “real men” and
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a blood-borne transmissible virus and globally this virus and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is causing devastation by destroying communities, families and taking away hope for the future.
Malawi has not been spared of the catastrophe brought by HIV/AIDS and the prevalence rate amongst young people between the ages of 15 and 24 remains unacceptably very high. As per the 2008 National Census report, the youth in Malawi comprise over half of the whole population and this is the age group that has disproportionately been affected by HIV/AIDS pandemic which, unfortunately, has no known cure to-date.
In order to fight the spread of HIV amongst the youth it is necessary to know and effectively address the factors that drive the spread of HIV. In Malawi there are several well-documented factors that fuel and facilitate further the spread of HIV among the youth and such a constellation of variables range from cultural determinants across the continuum to socio-economic, environmental, psychosocial and other structural determinants – all related to the whole spectrum of societal life, thus they are social, cultural and economic in nature.
The primary risk factor that is exponentially perpetrating the spread of HIV in youths is the widespread multiple and concurrent sexual partnership. Especially so among young men who have good economic background and having several sexual partners is socially seen as prestigious - a sign of popularity, potency and manhood. On the other hand, peer pressure and competition to out-do each other among the youth is driving young men into multiple sexual relationships. Among the youth, those who abstain or resist advances from the opposite sex are labelled with derogatory terms like ‘ndiwe wotsalira’ (slow and backwards) while those young men who have multiple partners, especially with beautiful girls are labelled as “real men” and
References: Cote J. E. (1994) Adolescent Storms and Stree. An Evaluation of the Mead-Freeman Controversy, Lawrence Erlbaum, Hillsidearmondsworth. National AIDS Commission of Malawi, Lilongwe, Malawi (2009). National HIV Prevention Strategy 200-2013. National Statistics Office, Zomba, Malawi (2008). Malawi Demographic and Health Survey. UNICEF, Lilongwe, Malawi (2006). How does HIV affect young people?