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Kelly
Hallman, Kasthuri Govender, Emmanuel Mbatha, Nick Swan, and
Jill Walsh. "Social capital, socioeconomic aspirations, and HIV/AIDS
risk behavior among poor South African youth." (Poster no. A307)
ABSTRACT
Background
The South African environment is a complex one. Illness, stigma, and
death from HIV/AIDS, social marginalization, unemployment, poverty
coupled with extreme inequality, and traditional leadership
structures make this a challenging environment to transition from
childhood to adulthood. Though many programs exist to address young
people's needs, many fail in their design and targeting to
acknowledge the diversity of circumstances that shape HIV
vulnerabilities of young people.
Objectives
While social capital is well recognized as important for reducing
economic vulnerability, a recent study demonstrates its positive
association with HIV preventive behaviors among young women in
Zimbabwe. Moreover, Ray (2006) asserts that failure of economic
aspirations and poverty may be inextricably linked. Associations
among HIV risk, social capital, and economic aspirations have not
been well-explored among South African youth.
Methods
We investigate these relationships using a population-based survey
of young women and men aged 16–24 years residing in poor, periurban,
HIV-affected communities of KwaZulu-Natal.
Results
- Females have less social capital than males (p≤0.01), as
measured by participation in community activities.
- Among females higher social capital is correlated with (a)
greater exposure to media-based HIV messages (p≤0.001), (b)
fewer sexual partners in the year before the survey (p≤0.05),
and (c) a greater likelihood of having had an HIV test (p≤0.05).
- Females are less likely to have financial goals than males
(p≤0.001).
- Having a financial goal is correlated with (a) greater
female exposure to media-based HIV messages (p≤0.001), (b) more
realistic HIV risk perceptions among females (p≤0.001), and (c)
greater male knowledge of HIV transmission modes (p≤0.01).
Conclusions
Females have lower social capital and are less likely to have
financial aspirations than males. Higher social capital and having
financial aspirations are positively associated with HIV knowledge
and preventive behaviors among young women.
3rd South African AIDS Conference Web site
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