Gender norms and HIV testing/treatment uptake: Evidence from a large population-based sample in South Africa

Type Journal Article - AIDS and Behavior
Title Gender norms and HIV testing/treatment uptake: Evidence from a large population-based sample in South Africa
Author(s)
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2019
Page numbers 1-10
URL https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10461-019-02603-8
Abstract
How does the endorsement of diferent dimensions of gender norms by men and/or women infuence their use of HIV testing and antiretroviral treatment? This question was examined using data from a 2014 population-based survey of 1053 women and 1004 men, ages 18–49, in rural South Africa. We used a global measure for views toward gender norms (the GEM Scale), plus four subsets of scale items (all reliabilities=0.7). In multivariate analyses using the global measure, endorsement of inequitable gender norms was associated with more testing (AOR 2.47, p<0.01) and less treatment use (AOR 0.15, p<0.01) among women but not men. When examining specifc subsets of inequitable norms (e.g., endorsing men as the primary decision-maker), decreased odds of treatment use was found for men as well (AOR 0.18, p<0.01). Careful attention to the role specifc gender norms play in HIV service uptake can yield useful programmatic recommendations.

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