ABSTRACT

Kiragu, Karusa, Thabale Ngulube, Mutinta Nyumbu, Panganani Njobvu, Peter Eerens, and Chilufya Mwaba. 2007. "Sexual risk-taking and HIV testing among health workers in Zambia," AIDS and Behavior 11(1): 131–136 (offsite link)

Health workers (N=692) in five Zambian hospitals were interviewed to assess HIV/AIDS risk-taking and status awareness. They comprised physicians, nurses, clinical officers, and paramedics. Only 33 percent had been tested for HIV and only 24 percent said their partner had been tested. Twenty-six percent of sexually active respondents had multiple partners; 37 percent of these had not used condoms. Only 60 percent of respondents believed condoms were effective in preventing HIV. Women were less likely to trust or use condoms even in high-risk relationships. The data suggest a need to develop HIV/AIDS programs for health workers, with emphasis toward gender-based obstacles hampering safer behaviors.

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