Knowledge and attitude towards male circumcission and HIV prevention among people of Makete district, Tanzania
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Date
2013
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Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
The study was conducted to assess knowledge and attitude towards male circumcission
and HIV prevention among people of Makete District. Specifically the study assessed the
knowlcgde towards HIV/AIDS and male circumcission as well as attitude towards male
circumcission for HIV prevention. The study also assessed the effects of social economic
characteristics on male circumcission. A cross-sectional survey using structured
questionaires was used in collecting quantitative data, while qualitative data was collected
using key informants chekilist as well as the focus group discussion guide. A total of 420
respondents were inlevicwed. It was observed that the majority (99.3%) of respondents
have heard an illness called AIDS. On the other hand 60% male respondents reported to be
uncircumcised while 40% reported to be circumcised. The study also determined the
prevalence rate of HIV infection in Makete District by 2011 to be 11% (MDC, 2012). It
was also observed that majority (51%) of respondents had high knowledge on HIV/AID
transmission and prevention. On other hand a significant proportional (31.9%) of
respondents had low knowledge towards male circumcission. Furthermore about (59.7%)
of respondents had a negative attitude towards male circumcission while (32.7%) had a
positive attitude. Positive attitude of men and women were found to be an important
aspect towards male circumcission. The study findings also observed that cultural factors
hinder male circumcission since 67.9% of uncircumcised male reported that they were not
circumcised because they feel they should not get circumcised because this practice is not
part of their culture. The study results could contribute to devising and implementing the
planning of male circumcission and HIV prevention strategies that focus on the identified
gaps in Makete Distrct and elsewhere in and out of Tanzania.
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Thesis
Keywords
Knowledge and attitude, Circumcission, Prevention, HIV