Male knowledge of and attitudes and practices towards AIDS in Zimbabwe

This paper presents findings from a survey on knowledge of and attitudes and practices towards AIDS among currently married Zimbabwean men conducted between April and June 1988. Findings indicated that knowledge was reasonably high: 89.7% reported having heard of AIDS. The young and middle-aged groups, the most educated, and the urban men were the most knowledgeable in identifying routes of transmission. However, 22% did not know that there could be asymptomatic carriers of the virus capable of transmitting the virus and infecting others. Furthermore, 38% did not know that all those affected with AIDS eventually die as a result, and only 55% knew that there is no cure for AIDS. Behavioral change in order to avoid contracting AIDS seems relatively low given this sample's history of sexually transmitted diseases and extramarital sexual relations during the year prior to the survey. Although condom use was the lowest percentage of the behavioral change categories, a high percentage reported ever using a condom.