Self-efficacy in protecting oneself against HIV transmission
A qualitative study of female university students in Malawi
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31265/jcsw.v10i2.130Keywords:
Malawi, self-efficacy, qualitative research, local knowledgeAbstract
This article deals with the complexity of health behaviour from a self-efficacy perspective, and shows the naivety in assuming knowledge as the main guide to better protection against HIV. The authors accentuate the importance of local knowledge when developing health strategies as in the case of protection against HIV, in this case for female university students in Malawi. Being part of a transition period, these students have to handle complex and at times opposing expectations. This makes HIV protection into a complex social- and health issue. However, the close association between universities and rational thinking has for long made public health see self-efficacy as one of the main determinants in general health behaviour. By seeing health behaviour as complex, this study explores into how female university students perceive their own self-efficacy in protecting themselves against HIV in Malawi with a HIV score of approximately 12%. The study is based on data from Chancellor College in Zomba, Malawi. The authors point to the potential of a closer collaboration between social work and public health in issues of both a social and a health nature, as in the case of HIV protection.
References
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Rimal, R. N., & Creel, A. H. (2008). Applying social marketing principles to understand the effects of the radio diaries program in reducing HIV/AIDS stigma in Malawi. Health Mark Q., 25(1,2), 119-146.
Rohregger, B. A. (2006). Shifting Boundaries: Social Security in the Urban Fringe of Lilongwe City, Malawi. (PhD). Retrieved September 13, 2015, from http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/8060/diss_p0_146.pdf
Ruth, B. J., & Sisco, S. (2008). Public health social work. In T. Mizrahi, & L. E. Davis (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Social Work. New York: Oxford University Press
Ryen, A. (2008). Crossing Cultures: Doing gendered ethnographies of third-world organisations. In B. Jegatheesan (Ed.), Access, A zone of Comprehension, and Intrusion (141-164). Emerald, JAI.
Ryen., A. (2007). Do Western research ethics work in Africa?: A discussion about not taking “the taken-the-granted” for granted. Mosenodi [Journal of the Botswana Educational Research Association], 15(1,2).31-45
Ryen, A. (2004). Ethical Issues in Qualitative Research. In C. Seale, G. Gobo, J. Gubrium, & D. Silverman (Eds.), Handbook of Qualitative Research Practice, (158–174). London: Sage.
Ryen, A., Temba, E., & Matotay, E. (2010). Company welfare and social work ethics a space for social work?: A discussion based on cases from Norway and Tanzania. Journal of Comparative Social Work, 1
Skiftun, I. S. (2013). Self-efficacy in protecting oneself against HIV transmission: A qualitative study of female university students in Malawi: Master thesis. Kristiansand: University of Agder, Faculty of health and sport science.
Tavory, I., & Swidler, A. (2009). Condom Semiotics: Meaning and Condom Use in Rural Malawi. American sociological review, 74(2), 171-189.
Temba, E., Ryen, A., & Matotay, E. (2009). Social Provision and Social Welfare in Tanzania: Reflections and Possibilities for Social Security to the Informal Sector. Tanzania Journal of Development Studies, 9(1,2), 34-44.
UNAIDS, UNICEF, & WHO. (2011). Global HIV/AIDS response: Epidemic update and health sector progress towards Universal Access: Progress report 2011. Geneva: World Health Organization. Retrieved September 13, 2015, from http://www.who.int/hiv/pub/progress_report2011/hiv_full_report_2011.pdf
Van Pelt, J. (2009). Social Work and Public Health - Perfect Partners. Social Work today, 9(1), 28.
Woodsong, C., & Alleman, P. (2008). Sexual pleasure, gender power and microbicide acceptability in Zimbabwe and Malawi. AIDS Education and Prevention, 20(2), 171-187.
Yeatman, S. (2011). "HIV is an enemy of childbearers": The construction of local epidemiology in rural Malawi. Culture, Health and Sexuality, 4(13), 471-483.
Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychology Review, 84(2), 191–215.
Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. United States of America: Prentice-Hall.
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. United States of America: W. H. Freeman and Company.
Bandura, A. (2012). Perceived self-efficacy in the exercise of control over AIDS infection. Evaluation and program planning, 13(1), 9-17.
Barden O`Fallon, J., DeGraft-Johnson, J., Bisika, T., Sulzbach, S., Benson, A., & Tsui, A. O. (2004). Factors associated with HIV/AIDS knowledge and risk perception in rural Malawi. AIDS and Behaviour 8(2), 131 - 140.
Becker, M. (1974). The Health Belief Model and personal health behaviour. Health Education Monographs, 2(4), 324- 473.
Bunton, R., & Macdonald, G. (2002). Health promotion: Disciplines, diversity, and development (2 ed.). London: Routledge.
Chimbiri, A. M. (2007). The condom is an "intruder" in marriage: Evidence from rural Malawi. Social Science & Medicine, 64, 1102-1115.
Chirwa, W. C., & Chizimbi, S. (2009). Multiple and concurrent sexual partnerships in Malawi: A formative qualitative study. Retrieved September 13, 2015, from http://www.eldis.org/vfile/upload/1/document/1106/Multiple and concurrent sexual partnerships in
Malawi.pdf
Earle, S., Lloyd, C., Sidell, M., & Spurr, S. (2007). Theory and research in promoting public health (1st ed.). London: Sage.
Gibbs, A. (2008). Gender, famine and HIV/AIDS: Rethinking new variant famine in Malawi. African journal of AIDS research, 7(1), 9-17.
Glanz, K., Rimer, B. K., & Viswanath, K. (2008). Health Behavior and Health Education: Theory, Research and Practice (4th ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Gobo, G., & Ryen, A. (2011). Perspectives on decolonising methodology. In International Journal of Social Research Methodology): Theory and Practice, 14(6), 411-508.
Kitzinger, C., & Frith, H. (1999). Just Say No?: The Use of Conversation Analysis in Developing a Feminist Perspective on Sexual Refusal. Discourse Society, 10(3), 293-316.
Leclerc-Madlala, S. (2009). Cultural scripts for multiple and concurrent partnerships in southern Africa: Why HIV prevention needs anthropology. Sexual Health, 6, 103-110.
Limaye, R. J., Rimal, R. N., Mkandawire, G., Roberts, P., Dothis, W., & Brown, J. (2012). Talking about sex in Malawi: Toward a better understanding of interpersonal communication for HIV prevention. Journal of Public Health Research, 1(17), 117-125.
Maddux, J. E. (2000). Self-efficacy: The power if believing you can. In C. R. Snyder, & S. J. Lopez (Eds.), Handbook of positive psychology. New York: Oxford University Press.
Martinussen, W. (2008). Samfunnsliv: Innføring i sosiologisk tenkemåte [Community life: An introduction to sociological thinking]. Oslo: Universitetsforlaget.
Munthali, A., Moore, A., Konyani, S., & Zakeyo, B. (2006). Qualitative Evidence of Adolescents’ Sexual and Reproductive Health Experiences in Selected Districts of Malawi. Retrieved September 13, 2015, from http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/2006/06/01/or23.pdf
Munthali, A. C., & Bannerman, M. (2012). Global Aids Response Progress Report: Malawi Country Report for 2010 and 2011. Malawi Government. Retrieved September 13, 2015, from http://www.unaids.org/en/dataanalysis/knowyourresponse/countryprogressreports/2012countries/ce_MW_Narrative_Report%5B1%5D.pdf
Mwale, M. (2008). Adolescent risk perception vis -a-vis HIV/AIDS in Malawi. Psychology and Developing Societies, 20(2), 229–240.
National Statistical Office, & ICF Macro. (2011). Malawi Demographic and Health Survey 2010. NSO. Retrieved September 13, 2015, from http://www.measuredhs.com/pubs/pdf/FR247/FR247.pdf
Ntata, P. (2008). Gender differences in university students’ HIV/AIDS-related knowledge and sexual behaviours in Malawi: A pilot study. Journal des Aspects Sociaux du VIH/SIDA, 5(4), 201-205.
Ntata, P., & Biruk, C. (2009). The challenges of doing gender research in developing countries: Focus on Malawi. Journal of Comparative Social Work, 1.
Oettingen, G. (1995). Cross-cultural persepctives on self-efficacy. In A. Bandura (Ed.), Self-efficacy in changing societies (pp. 149-176). New York: Cambridge University Press.
Parrish, M. (2014). Social Work Perspectives on Human Behaviour (2nd ed.) Maidenhead: Open University Press
Prochaska, J. O., & DiClimente, C. C. (1984). The Transtheoretical Approach: Crossing The Traditional Boundaries of Therapy. Homewood: Dow Jones Irwin.
Rimal, R. N., & Creel, A. H. (2008). Applying social marketing principles to understand the effects of the radio diaries program in reducing HIV/AIDS stigma in Malawi. Health Mark Q., 25(1,2), 119-146.
Rohregger, B. A. (2006). Shifting Boundaries: Social Security in the Urban Fringe of Lilongwe City, Malawi. (PhD). Retrieved September 13, 2015, from http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/8060/diss_p0_146.pdf
Ruth, B. J., & Sisco, S. (2008). Public health social work. In T. Mizrahi, & L. E. Davis (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Social Work. New York: Oxford University Press
Ryen, A. (2008). Crossing Cultures: Doing gendered ethnographies of third-world organisations. In B. Jegatheesan (Ed.), Access, A zone of Comprehension, and Intrusion (141-164). Emerald, JAI.
Ryen., A. (2007). Do Western research ethics work in Africa?: A discussion about not taking “the taken-the-granted” for granted. Mosenodi [Journal of the Botswana Educational Research Association], 15(1,2).31-45
Ryen, A. (2004). Ethical Issues in Qualitative Research. In C. Seale, G. Gobo, J. Gubrium, & D. Silverman (Eds.), Handbook of Qualitative Research Practice, (158–174). London: Sage.
Ryen, A., Temba, E., & Matotay, E. (2010). Company welfare and social work ethics a space for social work?: A discussion based on cases from Norway and Tanzania. Journal of Comparative Social Work, 1
Skiftun, I. S. (2013). Self-efficacy in protecting oneself against HIV transmission: A qualitative study of female university students in Malawi: Master thesis. Kristiansand: University of Agder, Faculty of health and sport science.
Tavory, I., & Swidler, A. (2009). Condom Semiotics: Meaning and Condom Use in Rural Malawi. American sociological review, 74(2), 171-189.
Temba, E., Ryen, A., & Matotay, E. (2009). Social Provision and Social Welfare in Tanzania: Reflections and Possibilities for Social Security to the Informal Sector. Tanzania Journal of Development Studies, 9(1,2), 34-44.
UNAIDS, UNICEF, & WHO. (2011). Global HIV/AIDS response: Epidemic update and health sector progress towards Universal Access: Progress report 2011. Geneva: World Health Organization. Retrieved September 13, 2015, from http://www.who.int/hiv/pub/progress_report2011/hiv_full_report_2011.pdf
Van Pelt, J. (2009). Social Work and Public Health - Perfect Partners. Social Work today, 9(1), 28.
Woodsong, C., & Alleman, P. (2008). Sexual pleasure, gender power and microbicide acceptability in Zimbabwe and Malawi. AIDS Education and Prevention, 20(2), 171-187.
Yeatman, S. (2011). "HIV is an enemy of childbearers": The construction of local epidemiology in rural Malawi. Culture, Health and Sexuality, 4(13), 471-483.
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Published
2015-12-18
How to Cite
van Pelt, I. S., & Ryen, A. (2015). Self-efficacy in protecting oneself against HIV transmission: A qualitative study of female university students in Malawi. Journal of Comparative Social Work, 10(2), 138–166. https://doi.org/10.31265/jcsw.v10i2.130
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