HIV/AIDS Risk for Young Female Petty Traders at Car Parks
Journal Title: Journal of HIV for Clinical and Scientific Research - Year 2017, Vol 4, Issue 2
Abstract
Though the HVI/AIDS prevalence rate in The Gambia is one of the lowest in the sub-region, the disease and its associated effects has always been a concern both to the government, non-governmental organizations, professionals, families, communities, development partners, etc. Over the decade a number of studies have been conducted in the areas of its mode of transmission, prevention, impacts, etc. However, there is none on the disease and the mobile population. The young female petty traders in the car parks are assumed to be at high risk of infection due to numerous factors including their contact with highly mobile populations. The purpose of this study was to examine their risk of infection by long-distance drivers. Due to the sensitivity of the topic, only twenty were willing to participate. The study was mainly centered on six fundamental areas namely; level of knowledge of the disease, perception toward the disease, level of knowledge of the causes and modes of transmission of the disease, level of knowledge of the preventive methods, level of knowledge of the disease management and treatment methods, and petty traders relationship with long-distance drivers. Because of limited resources and participants’ reluctance to participate during first contact, the study took approximately seven months plus. Well-structured questionnaires were used to collect the data from the participants in three key car parks. The data was presented and analyzed using tables and percentage. The results among others revealed that there is high level of awareness of the disease. However, there is a mixed attitude toward the disease, the most worrisome being some participants seeing it as a punishment from God to the victims. Despite the majority being concern about being positive, they disassociated themselves with the seeking of medical treatment in case of being infected because of the fear of stigma and exclusion. The issue of herbalist being able to treat the disease was highlighted. Intimate relationships which include visitations exist between the young girls and long-distance drivers.
Authors and Affiliations
Bah Yahya Muhammed
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP348161
- DOI 10.17352/2455-3786.000024
- Views 72
- Downloads 0
Opportunistic and other intestinal parasites infections among HIV-positive patients in the era of combination antiretroviral therapy and preventive treatment in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Background: One of the particularities of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in the tropics is its frequent association with parasitic diseases so frequent in this area. Aim: The aim of this study was to update...
Using Participatory Research to Work With Women from Ethnic Minorities at Risk for HIV Living In Industrialized Countries
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the utility of participatory approaches for working with ethnic minority women at risk of contracting HIV living in industrialized countries. The literature suggests that these...
First and Second Line Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy Failure in HIV Infected Nigerian Children at University of Abuja Teaching Hospital Gwagwalada, Nigeria
Background: In high-income countries, viral load is routinely used for monitoring HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy for early detection of drug failure. This is not the case in most resource limited settings like ou...
Assessment of Level of Knowledge and Practice of Nursing and Midwifery Students on HIV Post Exposure Prophylaxis in Hawassa University, Ethiopia
Background: Nurses, midwives and other health care workers are at risk from Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and other blood borne infections in the workplace. Post exposure prophylaxis of HIV is the only way to reduce...
Predictors of mortality among adult patients enrolled on Antiretroviral Therapy in Hiwotfana specialized University Hospital, Eastern Ethiopia: Retrospective Cohort study
Objective: Mortality of HumanImmunodeficiency Virus (HIV)- infected patients have been reduced substantially since the introduction of Antiretroviral Therapy (ART). However, many studies have shown high mortality. But th...