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Updated: May 30, 2026

Comprehensive & Cost Effective Laboratory Monitoring of HIV/AIDS: an African Role Model

Comprehensive & Cost Effective Laboratory Monitoring of HIV/AIDS: an African Role Model

Published on: October 31, 2010

Question box: a tool for gathering information about HIV and AIDS.

Abigail Kazembe¹

¹Nurse-Midwife and Midwifery lecturer, University of Malawi, Maternal and Child Health Department, Kamuzu College of Nursing.

African Journal of Midwifery and Women'S Health

|July 26, 2011

Summary

The question box method effectively gathered anonymous questions about HIV transmission and prevention from Malawian youth. This approach fostered a safe space for discussing sensitive topics, overcoming fear of judgment.

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Area of Science:

Public Health
Adolescent Health
Epidemiology

Background:

Previous research on HIV knowledge relied on surveys.
A need exists for safe methods to assess adolescent understanding of HIV transmission and prevention.
Fear of stigma and judgment hinders open discussion of sensitive health topics among youth.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the question box method for collecting anonymous inquiries about HIV.
To encourage open dialogue on HIV transmission and prevention among secondary school students.
To identify common knowledge gaps and concerns regarding HIV/AIDS in young people.

Main Methods:

The question box method was implemented in community secondary schools in Malawi.
Seven question boxes were distributed across schools for anonymous question submission.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 30, 2026

Comprehensive & Cost Effective Laboratory Monitoring of HIV/AIDS: an African Role Model

Comprehensive & Cost Effective Laboratory Monitoring of HIV/AIDS: an African Role Model

Published on: October 31, 2010

Participant-generated questions were collected and categorized.

Main Results:

A total of 394 questions were collected anonymously.
Questions fell into six main categories: general HIV information, sexual practices, perinatal transmission, other transmission routes, contact/sharing, and prevention/condom use.
The method successfully facilitated the asking of sensitive questions.

Conclusions:

The question box method provides a safe and effective anonymous channel for adolescents to inquire about HIV.
This approach can reveal crucial information about youth knowledge and concerns regarding HIV/AIDS.
It offers a valuable alternative to traditional survey methods for sensitive health topics.