Mashamba Tshilidzi, Peltzer Karl, Maluleke Thelma X, Sodi Tholene
Department of Psychology, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa.
Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med. 2011;8(5 Suppl):83-9. doi: 10.4314/ajtcam.v8i5S.16. Epub 2011 Jul 3.
The aim of the study was to develop an HIV and AIDS training manual, and to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and management of faith healers of Apostolic churches regarding HIV and AIDS, before and after they attended an HIV and AIDS training programme. A quasi-experimental intervention design was used with faith healers affiliated with the United African Apostolic Church (UAAC) in the Thulamela and Musina municipalities of Vhembe District, Limpopo Province, South Africa. A total of 103 faith healers were included in this study, 58 were systematically assigned to an intervention and 45 to a control group. The intervention group received training for 2 days. At follow-up after 2 months, intervention effects were significant for HIV knowledge and to a lesser extent TB knowledge. No significant improvement was found in HIV/STI (sexually transmitted infection) management strategies such as HIV/STI risk behaviour counselling, referral of clients for HIV testing, keeping condoms at stock in church, and church community HIV/AIDS/STI education. It is important to note that faith healers address some of the major known behavioural risk and protective factors such as partner reduction and condom use. Therefore, faith healers could be more widely utilized in HIV prevention programmes as risk reduction counsellors, in particular on matters of community-level education.
该研究的目的是编写一本关于艾滋病毒和艾滋病的培训手册，并评估使徒教会的信仰治疗师在参加艾滋病毒和艾滋病培训项目前后，对艾滋病毒和艾滋病的知识、态度及管理情况。研究采用了准实验干预设计，研究对象是南非林波波省韦姆贝区图拉梅拉和穆西纳市联合非洲使徒教会（UAAC）附属的信仰治疗师。本研究共纳入103名信仰治疗师，其中58名被系统地分配到干预组，45名被分配到对照组。干预组接受了为期2天的培训。在2个月后的随访中，艾滋病毒知识的干预效果显著，结核病知识的干预效果稍弱。在艾滋病毒/性传播感染管理策略方面，如艾滋病毒/性传播感染风险行为咨询、为客户提供艾滋病毒检测转诊服务、在教堂储备避孕套以及开展教会社区艾滋病毒/艾滋病/性传播感染教育等方面，未发现显著改善。需要注意的是，信仰治疗师解决了一些已知的主要行为风险和保护因素，如减少性伴侣和使用避孕套。因此，信仰治疗师作为风险降低咨询师，特别是在社区层面的教育问题上，可在艾滋病毒预防项目中得到更广泛的应用。
