Is the spread of knowledge the key to decrease HIV/AIDS prevalence in South Africa?

Abstract

The thesis aims to measure the impact HIV/AIDS knowledge has on risk-related behavior among youths in rural areas of South Africa; a country with the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence in the world. The HIV/AIDS problem of South Africa is of enormous importance to thousands of people since it has affected the development of the country for decades. In November of 2014, a field study was conducted in Hluhluwe, a township located in a rural part of South Africa. In this thesis, previously research together with a chosen theoretical framework and gathered data is used in order to create a contribution to this field of study. Overall, the results from the study imply that HIV knowledge does not have a clear effect on youths’ risk-related behavior; it is more likely other factors that determine an individual’s risk-related behavior in this case. The fact that individuals live in a world with high HIV/AIDS prevalence might affect their life expectancy and future beliefs, and this in turn could affect their decision-making.