Using the 1998/99 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey dataset, this article examines the behavior of men who think they are at risk for HIV/AIDS and those who indicate they have no AIDS risks. Using a theoretical framework that borrows from rationale choice theory and individual-level characteristics, the article explores the links between AIDS risks status and changes in preventive behavior. The results show high levels of AIDS-related knowledge among men in Ghana. In addition, the majority of the men indicated that they had changed their behavior in response to AIDS although they were more likely to cite the avoidance of multiple partners rather than the use of condoms in their sexual encounters. In the logistic regression models, education, marital status, and religion emerged as important predictors of changes in behavior. The fact that few men used condoms as an HIV/AIDS pre-ventive method raises a number of policy issues, the implications of which are discussed in this article.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AdihWilliam and AlexanderCheryl (1999). “Determinants of Con-dom Use to Prevent HIV Infection among Youths in Ghana.” Journal of Adolescent Health24:63–72.
2.
AjzenIcek and FischbeinM. (1980). Understanding Attitudes and Predicting Social Behavior: Illustration of Applied Research.Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
3.
AnarfiJohn (1995). “The Condition and Care of AIDS in Ghana: AIDS Sufferers and Their Relations.” Health Transition Review5:S253–263.
4.
Awusabo-AsareKofi (1995). “Living with AIDS: Perceptions. Attitudes and Post-Diagnosis Behavior of HIV/AIDS Patients in Ghana.” Health Transition Review5: S265–278.
5.
BankoleAkinrinola and SinghSusheela (1998). “'Couples' Fertility and Contraceptive Decision-Making in Developing Countries: Hearing the Man's Voice.” International Family Planning Per-spectives24(3):136–138.
6.
BeckerMarshall (1974). The Health Belief Model and Personal Health Behavior.San Francisco: Society for Public Health Education.;::;
7.
BeckerMarshall. (1997). “Selected Psychosocial Models and Correlates of Individual Health-Related Behaviors.” Medical Care15:S27–46.
8.
CaldwellJohn and CaldwellPat (1993). “The Nature and Limits of the Sub-Saharan African AIDS Epidemic: Evidence from Geographic and Other Patterns.” Population and Development Review19(4): 817–848.
9.
DodooF. Nii-Amoo (1993). “A Couple Analysis of the Micro-Level Supply/Demand Factors in Fertility Regulation.” Population Research and Policy Review12:93–101.
10.
EzehAlex Chika (1993). “The Influence of Spouses over Each Other's Contraceptive Attitudes in Ghana.” Studies in Family Planning163–174.
11.
FapohundaBalaji and RutenbeergNaomi (1999). “Expanding Men's Participation in Reproductive Health in Kenya.Nairobi, Kenya: African Population Policy Research Center.
12.
FosuGabriel (1990-91). “Maternal Influences on Preventive Health Behavior in Children.” International Quarterly of Community Health Education1(4): 399–417.
13.
FosuGabriel (1993). “Indicators of Modern Health Attitudes in an Urban Setting: A Exploration of the Attitudes-Behavior Relationship.” Social Indicators Research2S:46–70.
14.
Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) and Macro International Inc. (MI) (1999). “Ghana Demographic and Health 1998.” Calverton, MD: Author.
15.
GlanzKaren, FiancesLewis, and RimerBarbara (1996). Health Behavior and Health Educations: Theory, Research, and Practice.San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
16.
HaminelEugene A. (1990). “A Theory of Culture for Demography.” Population and Development Review16(3):455–483.
17.
HendersonC.W. (1990). “Ghana: Conference Focuses on HIV/AIDS, STD Prevention.” Acra, Ghana, June 14-18.
18.
KirschtJohn (1974). “The Health Belief Model and Illness Behavior.” Health Education Monograph2:387–408.
19.
MorganS. and TeachmanJay (1988). “'Logistic Regression: Description, Examples, and Comparisons.” Journal of Marriage and the Family50:929–936.
20.
ObisesanK., AdenyemoA., and FakokundeB. (1998). “Awareness and Use of Family Planning Methods among Married Women in Ibadan.” East African Medical Journal75(3):135–138.
21.
Oheneba-SakyiYaw and TakyiBalfour (1997). “Effects of Couples' Characteristics on Contraceptive Use in Sub-Saharan Africa.” Journal of Biosocial Science29:33–49.
22.
OppongChristine (1995). “A High Price to Pay for Education. Subsis-tence or a Place in the Job Market.” Health Transition Review5:S35–56.
23.
OppongChristine (1998). “A Vulnerability Interpretation of the Geography of HIV/AIDS in Ghana, 1958-1995.” Professional Geographer50(44):437–448.
24.
PedianN.. (1997). “'Heterosexual Transmission of Human Immu-nodeficiency Virus in Northern California: Results from a Ten-Year Study.” American Journal of Epidemiology146:350–357.
25.
PerdiagoJ.. (1996). “AIDS in a Developing Country.” AIDS Reader6(5):40–46.
26.
TakyiBalfour (2000). “HIV/AIDS Knowledge and Risks and Contra-ceptive Practices in Ghana: The Early 1990s.” American Journal of Reproductive Health4(1):13–27.
27.
UNAIDS and World Health Organization (1998). “Report on the Glo-bal HIV/AIDS Epidemic and Update.” Geneva: Author.
28.
van de WalleEtienne (1990). “The Social Impact of AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa.” Milbank Quarterly65:10–32.
29.
Weekly Spectator (1999). “The AIDS Explosion: 700,000 Risk HIV Infection in 5 Years.” #622, Saturday, August 21-27.
