title: Disabled persons' knowledge of HIV prevention and access to health care prevention services in South Africa.
abstract: The main research question in this article is how access to information about HIV/AIDS and level of HIV/AIDS prevention related knowledge are distributed among disabled people, and whether level of knowledge predicts access to HIV/AIDS related services. A survey was carried out among a sample of 285 disabled people from three provinces in South Africa. Analyses of the data revealed that gender and level of education, together with geographical differences, are key predictors for access to information and knowledge about HIV/AIDS among disabled people. For male respondents number of information sources predicts access to voluntary counselling and testing services and HIV testing, while knowledge about prevention predicts access to Voluntary Counselling and Testing centres. Significant gender differences with regards to information, knowledge and access to services highlight the need for gender specific prevention strategies among disabled people.
authors.affiliation: SINTEF, Global Health, Oslo, Norway. arne.h.eide@sintef.no
authors.forename: Arne Henning
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Eide
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schür
authors.forename: Chitra
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ranchod
authors.forename: Poul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rohleder
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Swartz
authors.forename: Marguerite
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schneider
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003376:Counseling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006266:Health Education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D013019:South Africa; D055815:Young Adult