Browsing by Author "Mashingia, Jane H."

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    HIV/AIDS knowledge and stigmatizing attitudes towards teachers and students living with HIV/AIDS among secondary school teachers in Ilala Municipality, Dar es Salaam.
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2006) Mashingia, Jane H.
    HIV/AIDS related stigma confines to be one of the most significant challenges for HIV/AIDS programs across the ``prevention-to-care” continuum. Since school teachers and students who are in their adolescent age present the fastest growing segment of HIV positive individuals in Tanzania, they are likely to anticipate stigma from significant others. Additionally, secondary school teachers should be both knowledgeable of and comfortable with issues related to HIV/AIDS. Due to this, a cross-sectional study was carried out on a sample of 386 secondary school teachers from twenty registered schools of Ilala Municipality, Dar es Salaam region to determine teachers` knowledge about HIV/AIDS and their attitudes towards teachers and students living with HIV and AIDS. Selection of the sample was by systematic sampling and data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire, which included three knowledge and two attitude scales. Teachers showed moderate level of knowledge: a mean score of 5.3 on general knowledge scale, 5.6 on transmission scale 4.8 on prevention scale. The range of the scores was 0 to 7 for general knowledge on HIV/AIDS transmission, 0 to 9 for knowledge on HIV/AIDS prevention. The highest scores for general knowledge were amongst respondents who are in the 31-40 years age group, divorced and those teaching arts subjects. Teachers of the 21-30 years age group. The large majority (75%) teachers had favorable attitudes towards AIDS patient. About 46% of respondents had fear of contagion through casual contact. The results indicate a relationship between teachers` knowledge of HIV/AID. Significant differences were found based on sex, academic discipline and religion. Male respondents, those belonging to spiritual churches as well as those teaching religious subjects had a high level of stigmatizing attitudes compared to others.