TY - JOUR
T1 - An exploratory study of constructions of masculinity, sexuality and HIV/AIDS in Namibia, Southern Africa
AU - Brown, Jill
AU - Sorrell, James
AU - Raffaelli, Marcela
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by a grant to J. Sorrell from the College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center. Research assistance was provided by Peter Hangula and Cecelia Nakamwe in Namibia, and Lisa Darveau and Jason McClaren in the USA. Manuscript preparation was partially supported by a Faculty Development Fellowship to M. Raffaelli from the College of Arts and Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
PY - 2005/11
Y1 - 2005/11
N2 - The goal of the current study was to explore notions of masculinity and their linkages to HIV/AIDS among Owambo men and women in Namibia, where an estimated one-fifth of 15-49 year-olds have acquired HIV. Thirteen open-ended interviews and three focus groups were conducted with 50 male and female participants aged 19-50 in rural and urban Namibia. Qualitative analysis revealed six central themes: the evolving meaning of masculinity, power dynamics between men and women, women as active agent, the tension between formal and informal education and HIV transmission, alcohol and masculinity, and the bleeding of masculinity and explanations of HIV and AIDS, The findings suggest both direct and indirect linkages between notion of masculinity and AIDS, and highlight the need for prevention efforts that focus on providing alternative avenues for attaining culturally recognized marker of masculinity.
AB - The goal of the current study was to explore notions of masculinity and their linkages to HIV/AIDS among Owambo men and women in Namibia, where an estimated one-fifth of 15-49 year-olds have acquired HIV. Thirteen open-ended interviews and three focus groups were conducted with 50 male and female participants aged 19-50 in rural and urban Namibia. Qualitative analysis revealed six central themes: the evolving meaning of masculinity, power dynamics between men and women, women as active agent, the tension between formal and informal education and HIV transmission, alcohol and masculinity, and the bleeding of masculinity and explanations of HIV and AIDS, The findings suggest both direct and indirect linkages between notion of masculinity and AIDS, and highlight the need for prevention efforts that focus on providing alternative avenues for attaining culturally recognized marker of masculinity.
KW - HIV/AIDS
KW - Masculinity
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U2 - 10.1080/13691050500250198
DO - 10.1080/13691050500250198
M3 - Article
C2 - 16864224
AN - SCOPUS:27944490813
SN - 1369-1058
VL - 7
SP - 585
EP - 598
JO - Culture, Health and Sexuality
JF - Culture, Health and Sexuality
IS - 6
ER -