Gendered susceptibility to HIV/AIDS in marriage in Kampala: a case study of Lubaga Division.

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine gendered susceptibility to HIV/AIDS among married men and women in Lubaga Division in Kampala. The specific objectives were: to establish the factors accounting for gendered susceptibility to HIV/AIDS in marriage, document the nature of susceptibility to HIV/AIDS within marriage and analyse the extent to which susceptibility to HIV/AIDS is gendered.

The researcher used survey research design which involved both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection. The qualitative method was used in carrying out in-depth interviews with key informants and Focus Group Discussions, while the quantitative method was used to elicit quantitative data from individual respondents. Purposive, simple and stratified random sampling were used in sample selection of 104 respondents. Questionnaires, in-depth interview guide and 2 Focus Group Discussions were used in data collection Data analysis was done using a computer package called SPSS and the results were presented in form of tables and direct interpreted themes.

The findings of the study indicated that the factors that rendered married men and women susceptible to HIV/AIDS were age, type of marriage, level of education, religion, occupation, mode of marriage and the basis upon which one got married. The gendered nature of susceptibility to HIV/AIDS indicated that the married couples were susceptible to HIV/AIDS. This was due to lack of faithfulness among the married couples, lack of communication, poverty and having unprotected sex within their sexual relations. In regard to gender relations, Men were found to be in control of socio-economic resources and sexual relationships in marriage. They also control decision making, when to have sex and safer sex as well.

In conclusion, the factors that rendered married men and women susceptible to HIV/AIDS include age of respondents, their level of education, the type of marriage in which they were involved, their religion of affiliation, their occupation, the mode of marriage in which they were involved and the basis upon which one got married. Secondly, the married men and women were susceptive to HIV/AIDS and the reasons accredited to that are lack of faithfulness in marriage, lack of communication between partners, poverty and the practice of unprotected sex in marriage relationship. Thirdly, gender relations indicate that men mainly played productive roles, while women were more involved in reproductive roles. Men dominated decision making, control socio-economic resources, provide for the home and the practice of safer sex. The recommendations made include; continuous sensitization to ensure that both married men and women hold on to the principle of faithfulness to one another; small loans, credit programs and savings schemes should be provided to married women to empower them to be self-sustaining; improve married women’s access to education and information to improve their socio-economic status; developing female-controlled prevention measures such as female condoms so that the married couples could safeguard themselves against the disease. Building safer social norms by supporting married women's groups and community organizations to eradicate negative behaviours such as normalization of extra marital sex and rape in marriage. Government and private agencies should design and implement training/sensitization programmes targeting the married couples on issues of faithfulness and dangers of HIV/AIDS. Its effects in their relationship and women should be emancipated on issues related to safer sex to handle the emerging susceptibility among married men and women.