Tuyển tập các báo cáo nghiên cứu về hóa học được đăng trên tạp chí sinh học đề tài : When masculinity interferes with women’s treatment of HIV infection: a qualitative study about adherence to antiretroviral therapy in Zimbabwe | Skovdal et al. Journal of the International AIDS Society 2011 14 29 http content 14 1 29 JOURNALOF THE INTERNATIONAL AIDS SOCIETY RESEARCH Open Access When masculinity interferes with women s treatment of HIV infection a qualitative study about adherence to antiretroviral therapy in Zimbabwe Morten Skovdal 1 Catherine Campbell1 Constance Nyamukapa2 and Simon Gregson2 Abstract Background Social constructions of masculinity have been shown to serve as an obstacle to men s access and adherence to antiretroviral therapies ART . In the light of women s relative lack of power in many aspects of interpersonal relationships with men in many African settings our objective is to explore how male denial of HIV AIDS impacts on their female partners ability to access and adhere to ART. Methods We conducted a qualitative case study involving thematic analysis of 37 individual interviews and five focus groups with a total of 53 male and female antiretroviral drug users and 25 healthcare providers in rural eastern Zimbabwe. Results Rooted in hegemonic notions of masculinity men saw HIV AIDS as a threat to their manhood and dignity and exhibited a profound fear of the disease. In the process of denying and avoiding their association with AIDS many men undermine their wives efforts to access and adhere to ART. Many women felt unable to disclose their HIV status to their husbands forcing them to take their medication in secret and act without a supportive treatment partner which is widely accepted to be vitally important for adherence success. Some husbands when discovering that their wives are on ART deny them permission to take the drugs or indeed steal the drugs for their own treatment. Men s avoidance of HIV also leave many HIV-positive women feeling vulnerable to re-infection as their husbands in an attempt to demonstrate their manhood are believed to continue engaging in HIV-risky behaviours. Conclusions Hegemonic notions of masculinity can interfere with .
