FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 17, 2006

Mixed results on HIV Prevention: While Namibians start having sex at a younger
age, they have fewer sex partners and 1 in 2 report using condoms regularly

Windhoek —Johns Hopkins University/Health Communication Partnership (JHU/HCP) reported mixed results from a two year research activity to better understand HIV prevention behaviours in Namibia. The research was funded by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief in Namibia through the U.S. Agency for International Development.  On May 17, 2006 the results of household and community level surveys conducted among 4,200 respondents from Gobabis, Grootfontein, Omaruru, Oniipa, Oshikuku, Otjiwarongo, and Rehoboth were disseminated. Three of these areas – Oniipa, Oshikuku, and Rehoboth – had been visited for the second time by researchers in 2005 after initial baseline data was collected in 2003. The research findings will be used to help improve behavioural change communications programs in Namibia.

The research indicates that while people in Namibia continue to have good knowledge about the basics of HIV transmission, prevention and available services, they are selectively adopting behaviours that reduce their risk of becoming infected with HIV. Results from Oshikuku, Oniipa and Rehoboth show that the age of first sex – an important indicator of young people choosing to delay sex – has actually decreased. While respondents reported to have had first sex at 19 years in 2003, this dropped to 18 years in 2005.  Fewer people reported deliberately avoiding sex (abstaining) to avoid infection. This was particularly true in Oshikuku, where only 25 percent of respondents indicated that they had abstained as compared to 50 percent in 2003.

Findings regarding other methods of prevention -- being faithful and reducing numbers of partners, as well as condom use -- were more encouraging: One in three respondents said they had reduced their total number of sexual partners in comparison to the previous year. Also, condom use varied by region. In Oshikuku, there was reduction from 55 percent to 48 percent in the number of people who reported usually or always using condoms. In Oniipa, this figure remained constant at 55 percent, and in Rehoboth, there was an increase from 30 percent to 48 percent.  Overall, 1 in 2 Namibians reported to use a condom “always” or “usually”.

HIV testing is continuing to increase across the sites. Close to half of those surveyed across all sites had been tested for HIV.

“This type of in-depth research really helps us to design appropriate interventions for HIV prevention,” said Nahum Gorelick, JHU/HCP Namibia Country Representative.  He added: “Its strength is that we go back to research sites every couple of years. This allows us to identify trends in HIV/AIDS-related attitudes and behaviours.”

Dr. Rajiv N. Rimal, Chief Research Officer from JHU/HCP in Baltimore, MD, USA, travelled to Windhoek to present the results. “These findings reflect the complexity involved in behaviour change communication (BCC) research and practice,” says Rimal. “While there was improvement in some behaviours and attitudes, others worsened.” He added that the key would be to approach the HIV problem through well-informed behaviour change programs. “Preventing new infections is the only viable long-term solution we have to the AIDS epidemic,” he said.

Centre for Communication Programs
Namibia Office
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