The beliefs of African university men and women on HIV/AIDS being Gods indignation

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the tenet that HIV/AIDS is God’s indignation for those who engage in sexual intercourse outside the institution of marriage. Moreover, this study aimed at identifying gender differences that HIV/AIDS is God’s indignation against sexual immorality. Descriptive statistics comprising frequency, percentage, chi-square and probability was used for data analysis. The sample comprised a diverse sample of 366 men and women university students drawn from Kenya, South Africa and Tanzania. Statistically, majority of the participants did not subscribe to the tenet that HIV/AIDS is God’s indignation directed at those who engage in sexual behaviour outside of holy matrimony. In the Kenyan sample, more women than men respondents rejected the notion that HIV/AIDS was God’s indignation against sin. As for both the South African and Tanzanian samples, there were more men than women rejecting that God uses HIV/AIDS to inflict punishment on sinners. It was concluded that such tenet must be rejected and combated through public education. Key words: HIV/AIDS, transmission, God’s indignation, gender difference, impact of belief, university students, misconception.