Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; and Office of the Dean of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein.
Afr J Prim Health Care Fam Med. 2023 Jul 31;15(1):e1-e10. doi: 10.4102/phcfm.v15i1.3796.
The youth is at a heightened risk of immunodeficiency virus and/or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV and/or AIDS) infection because of risk-taking behaviour. There remains a gap in understanding young men's knowledge of HIV and/or AIDS and HIV testing services (HTS) in hard-to-reach communities in South Africa.
This article aimed to explore young men's knowledge of HIV and/or AIDS, including HTS in Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
Rural and peri-urban areas around the town of Ladysmith.
Employing a qualitative descriptive research design, 17 young men aged between 18 and 30 years were purposively and conveniently sampled and interviewed using WhatsApp and landline audio calls to collect their data, which was thematically analysed.
Young men had good knowledge of HIV and/or AIDS but lacked knowledge about HTS and HIV self-testing (HIVST). They obtained their information about HIV and/or AIDS and HTS from various sources and were aware of where to access HTS. They were generally unaware and supportive of HIVST.
Male-targeted HIV and/or AIDS knowledge and testing interventions are needed to encourage and support young men to test for HIV. Human immunodeficiency virus self-testing should be explored as an alternative to clinic-based service to encourage young men to know their status, specifically those with limited access to or are reluctant to attend clinics. Strengthening HIV and/or AIDS education could facilitate better decision-making towards HIV testing among young men.Contribution: This study contributes to an understanding of young adult men's knowledge of HIV and/or AIDS and HTS in underserved settings in South Africa.
由于冒险行为，年轻人感染艾滋病毒和/或获得性免疫缺陷综合征（HIV 和/或 AIDS）的风险更高。在南非，很难接触到的社区中，年轻人对 HIV 和/或 AIDS 以及 HIV 检测服务（HTS）的了解仍然存在差距。
本文旨在探讨 Ladysmith，夸祖鲁-纳塔尔省（KZN）的年轻男性对 HIV 和/或 AIDS 的了解，包括 HTS。
Ladysmith 镇周围的农村和城乡结合部地区。
采用定性描述性研究设计，从 18 至 30 岁的年轻男性中，采用便利和目的性抽样方法，使用 WhatsApp 和固定电话音频通话对其进行采访，以收集他们的数据，然后对其进行主题分析。
年轻男性对 HIV 和/或 AIDS 有很好的了解，但缺乏关于 HTS 和 HIV 自检（HIVST）的知识。他们从各种来源获取有关 HIV 和/或 AIDS 和 HTS 的信息，并了解在哪里可以获得 HTS。他们通常不了解和支持 HIVST。
需要针对男性的 HIV 和/或 AIDS 知识和检测干预措施，以鼓励和支持年轻男性进行 HIV 检测。应该探索 HIV 自我检测作为基于诊所服务的替代方法，以鼓励年轻男性了解自己的状况，特别是那些获得服务或不愿去诊所的男性。加强 HIV 和/或艾滋病教育可以促进年轻男性在 HIV 检测方面做出更好的决策。
本研究有助于了解南非服务不足地区年轻成年男性对 HIV 和/或 AIDS 以及 HTS 的了解。
