Factors influencing young people's preventive actions against human immunodeficiency virus infections in Tanzania

Abstract

This study identified factors influencing the practice of HIV prevention behaviours amongst Tanzania youths. Structured interviews with in-school youths (n=222) and out-of school youths (n=150); and focus groups discussions with 25 youths were conducted to collect data. Although the level of HIV/AIDS awareness was 97.6% and 58.5% of the youths had positive attitudes towards HIV prevention, only 50.8% practised at least one mode of HIV prevention. Factors which promoted HIV prevention practices included positive attitudes towards specific preventive behaviours and the individual’s self-efficacy to enact such behaviours. The barriers against the practice of HIV prevention behaviours included the lack of comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS and HIV prevention, socio-economic issues such as unemployment, influx of mobile populations, loss of cultural values, negative social norms, peer pressure, alcohol abuse and the lack of adequate HIV preventive services.