An investigation into the effectiveness of HIV/AIDS campaigns in dealing with stigma in schools

Date
2012-03
Authors
Ramose, Tsoho
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The focus of the study was to assess the effectiveness of HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns in reducing stigma and discrimination in schools. The findings of the study from all three high schools that took part in the study indicated that stigma still exists in schools. The existence of stigma and discrimination in school can have far much reaching effect. For effective teaching and learning to take every one should feel belonging and welcomed at school, however if people will be discriminated and stigmatised because of the HIV status chances are learners will dropout of school or not attend regular because of the bad treatment that they receive. Bad treatment directed to people because of their positive HIV status will further compound the stress of having to accept and deal with their status and ultimately this might affect their health. OBJECTIVES: Objectives were as follows: Assess the effectiveness of HIV/AIDS campaigns in reducing stigma in three high schools around J.T Gaetsewe region. Identify factors contributing to stigma in three High schools around J.T Gaetsewe region. Provide guidelines for policy and programme development to help in reduction of stigma in the school environment. METHODS: The quantitative research approach was used for the study. The questionnaires were used to collect data. According to O’Neill (2006), quantitative data analysis enables you to make sense of data by: analysing, summarising or doing exploratory analysis and to communicate meaning to others by presenting data as data tables, graphical displays and summary statistics. RESULTS: It was evident from the results of the study that despites efforts made to educate people about various aspects of HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination still exists in schools. Such state of affairs is likely to pose a threat in tremendous efforts put in place to control the spread and mitigating the social effects of HIV/AIDS. People are still afraid of being closely associated with people affected or infected by HIV/AIDS. CONCLUSION: HIV/AIDS related stigma and discrimination exists in different settings and various programmes have been put in place as an attempt to deal with it. In schools programmes such life skills training and inclusion of HIV/AIDS education as part of the school curriculum are some of the efforts made in an attempt to increase learner’s knowledge concerning HIV/AIDS. Despite these efforts, the research findings indicated that stigma and discrimination still exists and this state of affairs calls for more effort.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: AGTERGROND: Die fokus van hierdie studie was om vas te stel hoe doeltreffend MIV/Vigs-bewusmakingsveldtogte is, met betrekking tot die vermindering van stigma en diskriminasie in skole. Die bevindinge van die studie by al drie hoërskole wat deelgeneem het aan die studie, het aangedui dat die stigma steeds bestaan in skole. Die bestaan van stigma en diskriminasie in skole het ‘n baie verrykende effek. Vir doeltreffende onderrig en leer om plaas te vind, moet leerders voel dat hulle op skool behoort en moet hulle ook welkom daar voel. Indien daar teen leerders gediskrimineer en gestigmatiseer word as gevolg van hul MIV-status, is die kanse groot dat hulle nie skool gereeld sal bywoon nie en selfs glad nie meer skool gaan bywoon nie, as gevolg van die swak behandeling wat hulle by die skool ontvang. Slegte behandeling van mense as gevolg van hul positiewe MIV/VIGS-status, sal verder bydra tot die spanning om hul status te aanvaar en daarmee saam te leef en mag ook hulle gesondheid verder benadeel. DOELWITTE Doelwitte is soos volg: - Bepaal die doeltreffendheid van MIV/VIGS-bewusmakingsveldtogte met betrekking tot die vermindering van stigma in drie hoërskole in die JT Gaetsewe-streek. - Identifiseer faktore wat bydra tot die stigma in die drie hoërskole in die JT Gaetsewe-streek. - Verskaf riglyne vir beleid en programontwikkeling om te help met die vermindering van stigma in die skoolomgewing. METODES ‘n Kwantitatiewe navorsingsbenadering is gebruik vir die studie. Vraelyste is gebruik om data in te samel. Volgens O’Neill (2006), sal kwantitatiewe data-ontleding jou in staat stel om sin te maak van die data deur : ontleding, opsomming en verkennende ontleding en deur te kommunikeer deur die aanbieding van data met behulp van data tabelle, grafiese uitstallings en opsommingstatistieke. UITSLAE Dit was duidelik uit die resultate van die studie dat ten spyte van pogings om mense op te voed oor verkeie aspekte van MIV/VIGS, dat stigma en diskriminasie nog steeds bestaan in skole. Hierdie toestand van sake plaas ‘n bedreiging op die geweldige pogings wat aangewend word om die verspeiding van MIV/VIGS te beheer en die verligting van sosiale gevolge van MIV/VIGS. Mense is steed bang om te na betrokke te wees met mense wat wat leef met MIV/VIGS. GEVOLGTREKKING MIV/VIGS–verwante stigma en diskriminasie bestaan in verskillende instellings en verskeie programme is in plek gestel as ‘n poging om dit te hanteer. Progamme soos lewensvaardighede, opleiging in skole en die insluiting van MIV/VIGS-opvoeding as deel van die skoolkurrikulum is ‘n paar van die pogings wat aangewend word om leerders se kennis rakende MIV/VIGS te verhoog.
Description
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.
Keywords
AIDS (Disease) in adolescence -- South Africa, Stigma (Social psychology) -- South Africa, Schools -- Health promotion services -- South Africa, HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns -- South Africa, Dissertations -- Industrial psychology, Theses -- Industrial psychology, Assignments -- Industrial psychology, Dissertations -- HIV/AIDS management, Theses -- HIV/AIDS management, Assignments -- HIV/AIDS management
Citation