Individual, social and healthcare-related factors contributing to new HIV infections among women aged 15-24 years at Mukono General Hospital, Mukono district. A cross-sectional study.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71020/jwhr.v3i5.87Keywords:
Individual, social and healthcare-related factors, HIV infections, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, Mukono General HospitalAbstract
Background:
Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) continue to be a major global health tragedy despite intense efforts in international and local initiatives to address the pandemic. The study aimed at identifying the individual, social, and healthcare-related factors contributing to new HIV infections among women aged 15-24 years at Mukono General Hospital, Mukono district.
Methodology:
A cross-sectional research design was employed. The study population focused on women aged 15-24 years at Mukono General Hospital, Mukono district, with a sample size of 62 respondents using a simple random sampling method to select from the women aged 15-24 years. The researcher used Microsoft Excel to analyze the data.
Results:
39(63%) were single, 23(37%) were married. 52(84%) were well informed about the modes of HIV transmission. 50(81%) agree that using condoms can effectively prevent HIV transmission, unlike the 12(19%) who don’t believe it, and lastly, 36(58%) feel like substance use affects their decision-making towards safe sexual practices.
46(74%) agreed that low education levels increase the risk of acquiring HIV. 35(56%) agreed that limited access to healthcare facilities contributes to new HIV infections. 48(77%) agreed that poverty limits access to HIV prevention services such as HIV testing. 39(63%) reported limited access to HIV prevention services, while 23(37%) reported not to have faced a limited access. 26(42%) had experienced stigma or discrimination from healthcare providers.
Conclusion:
Insufficient knowledge without behavioral empowerment and supportive environments has not consistently translated into safe sexual practices.
Recommendation:
Strengthen youth mentorship and peer-support programs. Peer educators can effectively reach young women with messages about risk reduction, safe sexual practices, and the importance of regular HIV testing.
References
Arisi, D. N., Chepngetich, E., Kippkorir, W., Chepkirui, M., &Cherono, F. (2023). Factors Contributing to Rising HIV/AIDS Cases Among Youths Aged 15-25 Years in Kapkatet Ward, Bureti S (Doctoral dissertation, UOK).
Haris, M., & Abbas, R. (2024). Four Decades of HIV: Global Trends, Testing Assays,
https://doi.org/10.15212/ZOONOSES-2023-0039
Kanki, P. J., &Koofhethile, C. K. (2023).HIV/AIDS global epidemic.In Infectious Diseases (pp. 221-250). New York, NY: Springer US. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-2463-0_522
Kiunyu, R. W. (2015). Prevalence of alcohol & substance use disorders among HIV infected youth aged between 15 and 25 yrs old at Mbagathi hospital (Doctoral dissertation, University of Nairobi).
Murewanhema, G., Musuka, G., Moyo, P., Moyo, E., & Dzinamarira, T. (2022). HIV and adolescent girls and young women in sub‐Saharan Africa: A call for expedited action to reduce new infections. IJID regions, 5, 30-32.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijregi.2022.08.009
Nastiti, A. A., Triharini, M., Pradanie, R., Nursalam, N., Qur'aniati, N., Hutton, A., ... & Arifin, H. (2024). Sociodemographic factors and their association with HIV risk behaviors among Indonesian females aged 15-24 years: A nationwide study. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 79, e170-e176. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2024.10.017
Obeagu, E. I., Alum, E. U., &Obeagu, G. U. (2023). Factors associated with the prevalence of HIV among youths: a review of Africa perspective. Madonna University Journal of Medicine
Obeagu, E. I., Obeagu, G. U., Ede, M. O., Odo, E. O., & Buhari, H. A. (2023). Translation of HIV/AIDS knowledge into behavior change among secondary school adolescents in Uganda: A review. Medicine, 102(49), e36599.
https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000036599
Stoebenau, K., Heise, L., Wamoyi, J., & Bobrova, N. (2016). Revisiting the understanding of "transactional sex" in sub-Saharan Africa: A review and synthesis of the literature. Social science & medicine, 168, 186-197.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.09.023
Strathdee, S. A., Martin, N. K., Pitpitan, E. V., Stockman, J. K., & Smith, D. M. (2021).What the HIV pandemic experience can teach the United States about the COVID-19 response. JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, 86(1),1-10.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Benjamine Luube, John Paul Kibirige, George Masete
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish in any of our journals retain the copyright to their work but agree to grant Burundi Publishing the right of first publication. All articles are published under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. This promotes transparency and fosters wide dissemination of the research.
