AIDSWEEKLY Plus; Monday, May 23, 2005
Staff Medical Writers

According to a recent report from Jamaica, "The acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic is spreading fast in Africa in spite of the various efforts and resources put in place to prevent it.

"In Kenya, reproductive health programs have used the mass media and other communication interventions to inform and educate the public about the disease and to promote behavior change and healthy sexual practices. This effort has led to a discrepancy between awareness and behavioral change among people of reproductive age."

"In this article," N.W. Muturi and colleagues at the University of West Indies in Kingston "examine the discrepancy in Kenya from a communications perspective addressing social cultural and related factors contributing to the lack of change in behavior and sexual practices."

Investigators "draw on the theoretical framework of Grunig's model of excellence in communication, the importance of understanding and relationship building between programs and their stakeholders. Data were gathered qualitatively using focus groups and in-depth interviews among men and women in rural Kenya."

"Key findings indicate that although awareness of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS is high in Kenya, a majority of the population, particularly those in the rural communities, lack understanding of the communicated messages.

"They also lack the knowledge of other ways of transmitting HIV," continued scientists, "particularly among those not sexually involved."

"Cultural beliefs, values, norms, and myths have played a role in the rapidly increasing epidemic in the rural communities and yet HIV/AIDS communication programs have not addressed these factors adequately," said researchers.

Muturi concluded that successful "behavior change communication must include strategies that focus on increasing understanding of the communicated messages and understanding of the audience through application of appropriate methodologies.

"Building a relationship with the audience or stakeholders through dialogues and two-way symmetrical communication contributes toward this understanding and the maintenance of the newly adopted behaviors and practices."

Muturi and coauthors published their findings in the Journal of Health Communication (Communication for HIV/AIDS prevention in Kenya: Social-cultural considerations. J Health Commun. 2005 Jan-Feb;10(1):77-98.

Additional information can be obtained by contacting N.W. Muturi, University of W Indies, Carribean Institute Media & Communicable, Mona Campus, Kingston 7, Jamaica.

The publisher of the Journal of Health Communication can be contacted at: Taylor & Francis Inc., 325 Chestnut St., Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA.

Keywords: Kingston 7, Jamaica, HIV/AIDS Epidemic, Prevention, Cultural Beliefs, Misconceptions.

This article was prepared by AIDS Weekly editors from staff and other reports.

Reference

Muturi N. Communication for HIV/AIDS prevention in Kenya: social-cultural considerations, J Health Commun. 2005 Jan-Feb;10(1):77-98.

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