Abstract
Although HIV occurs in all social groups in South African society, certain populations are more vulnerable to HIV through risky behaviour patterns. Of relevance to the present study are the high risk situations that deployed soldiers are exposed to. Three issues indicated the necessity for a study of this kind to be conducted; (a) the statistics pointing to a higher incidence of HIV infections among military personnel than among the general population, (b) military personnel’s unique vulnerability profile, and (c) the South African National Defence Force’s (SANDF) increasing participation in international peacekeeping missions. The knowledge, attitudes and practices concerning HIV/AIDS of deployed soldiers were analysed. Results indicated that soldiers were taking sexual risks, although they had high levels of knowledge and had healthy attitudes concerning HIV/AIDS.
Highlights
Several studies conducted by Okee-Obong (2001) confirmed that there is an association between work in the military and high risk sexual activity
A study of Nigerian peacekeepers returning from Sierra Leone and Liberia indicated that HIV incidence among military personnel was 11%, whereas HIV incidence in the adult population of Nigeria was 5% at that time (Olayinka & Osho, 1997)
The HIV/AIDS incidence in the uniformed services in Tanzania was estimated to be between 15% and 16%, which was higher than the national incidence (Curran & Munywoki, 2002)
Summary
Several studies conducted by Okee-Obong (2001) confirmed that there is an association between work in the military and high risk sexual activity. The consequence of single-sex migration was that living and recreational environments for deployed soldiers were almost exclusively male (UNAIDS, 2001a) This often led to the development of commercial sex services and the pressure to use them (Curran & Munywoki, 2000). Posting soldiers far from their families for long time periods The factor cited most often as leading to high rates of STI’s and HIV in the military, was the practice of posting personnel far from their families for long periods of time (UNAIDS, 1998a) These soldiers were separated from normal family life whilst having easy access to alcohol and other intoxicating substances (Bielfeld, 2002). Sex worker or drug dealer networks frequently operated close to bases, because they knew that soldiers had adequate financial means to purchase their services or products (Bielfeld, 2002)
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