An evaluation of the relationships between poverty and HIV/AIDS in Kwa-Langa, Cape Town

Date
2008-03
Authors
Ndabula, Sipho Theodore
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study sets out to establish and explain the empirical link between HIV/AIDS and poverty using data collected in Kwa-Langa, Cape Town, South African. Analysis is restricted to women of reproductive age (15 – 49 years). The results indicate an increased risk of HIV infection among the poor, due to poverty-related characteristics of low education and low knowledge of the means of avoiding HIV infection, as opposed to the non-poor. Moreover, the poor and the less educated were found to be more likely not to use condoms than the non-poor. The results do not, however, provide the reasons for these relations and as such further research is required. One possible explanation was financial dependence on their partners, as it was found those women who received money from their partners, as well as those who came from households where hunger was a common phenomenon, were more likely not to use condoms because their partners disliked condoms, than those who did not receive money from their partners. The results also hinted at the intricacy of the poverty-HIV/AIDS relationship, so that it was not only low socio-economic status that increased susceptibility to HIV infection but also high socio-economic status.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doelwit van hierdie studie is om die empiriese verband tussen HIV/VIGS en armoede te bevestig. Die data vir die studie is in Langa, Kaapstad, Suid-Afrika versamel. Analiese is beperk tot vroue van ‘n reproduktiewe ouderdom (15 tot 49 jaar oud). Die resultate toon ‘n hoër risiko in die geledere van die armes, as gevolg van lae opvoedingsvlakke en gebrekkige kennis oor die praktyke rondom die vermyding van HIV infeksie, in kontras met die meer welgestelde deel van die bevolking. Die resultate toon ook dat die armer deel geneig is om in ‘n mindere mate kondome te gebruik en dat die meer gegoede deel van die bevolking meer geneig is om kondome te gebruik. Hierdie studie het egter nie die doel om die redes vir die bogenoemde verwantskap te bewys nie; daarvoor is ‘n verdere empiriese ondersoek nodig. ‘n Moontlike verklaring vir die bogenoemde verskynsel is die finansiële afhanklikheid van een seksuele vennoot teenoor die ander. Die studie ondersteun hierdie aanname in die sin dat vroue wat geldelike ondersteuning vanaf seksuele vennote ontvang en vroue wat uit gesinne kom waar daar ‘n nood van honger heers, minder geneig is om van kondome gebruik te maak. Die resultate toon ook die ingewikkeldheid van die HIV/VIGS verwantskap, aangesien die studie ook wys dat die meer gegoede gemeenskap toenemend vatbaar raak vir infeksie, soortgelyk aan die toenemde vatbaarheid vir die HIV/VIGS virus van die armer dele van die gemeenskap.
Description
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2008.
Keywords
Dissertations -- HIV/AIDS management, Theses -- HIV/AIDS management, Dissertations -- Industrial psychology, Theses -- Industrial psychology, HIV infections -- South Africa -- Cape Town, AIDS (Disease) -- South Africa -- Cape Town, Poverty -- South Africa -- Cape Town
Citation