Perception of AIDS Risk and Sexual behaviour in Kenya

Abstract

Perception of risk is important in the prevention of the spread of AIDS as it is the first stage towards adoption of preventive measures. The need to prevent further spread of HIV in Kenya is critical and, an examination of perceptions of HIV risk is important in understanding what determines people's estimates of HIV risk; how people receive and process AIDS information, and how people relate their sexual experiences to the risk of HIV.

The qualitative findings indicated broad agreement with quantitative results but with some differences in views at the community and individual levels. While AIDS was seen as a big threat at the community level, it was not necessarily perceived to be a threat at the individual level. Denial of HIV risk was common at the individual level and the partners' characteristics or one's own sexual behaviour informed these perceptions. Acknowledgement of HIV risk was mainly attributed to the possibility of infection from a partner's infidelity, self-engaging in casual sex, risky cultural practices and, to a lesser extent, non-sexual modes of HIV transmission. Behaviour change is hindered by gender differences and negative attitudes and misperceptions about condoms.

The quantitative findings suggest marked gender and sub-group differences in levels of self-perceived risk and risky sexual behaviour. Women were twice as likely as men to perceive themselves to be at high risk, even though fewer women as compared to men reported sexual behaviour classified as risky. For both women and men, young age, un-married status, and inaccuracy of specific knowledge about AIDS were associated with low perceptions of risk and high-risk sex. The level of education, region of residence, urban-rural residence, ethnicity, religion, source of AIDS information, and having had an HIV test also showed varying influences in self-perceived HIV risk and sexual behaviour. The results also demonstrate that although accurate knowledge is high among women and men, this does not deter risky sexual practices, particularly among men.

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