Abstract
BackgroundGender inequality and men’s perceived sexual and economic superiority over women are central to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The farming community in which the participants in the study live operates along such patriarchal lines, with the men making the important decisions for their families.AimTo explore and describe the role of gender in the spread of HIV and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) among farmworkers in South Africa.SettingThe study was conducted in the Levubu farms, Vhembe district, Limpopo Province, South Africa.MethodsThe researchers adopted a qualitative, explorative and descriptive research design with in-depth semi-structured interviews. Purposive and convenience sampling methods were used to select participants who met the inclusion criteria. Data collected were thematically analysed using Creswell’s data analysis method. Lincoln and Guba’s model to ensure trustworthiness and ethical standards were applied.ResultsThe findings of the study clearly indicated that powerlessness and lack of decision-making by female farmworkers was common as female farmworkers were dependent on their male partners to make decisions in the workplace as well as decisions regarding sexual matters in a relationship.ConclusionThe main conclusion drawn from the findings were that farmworkers are continuously exposed to exploitation and disempowerment in a variety of ways with very little support from their supervisors, which makes them vulnerable to contracting HIV.
Highlights
An estimated 36.7 million people were living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in 2016; 34.5 million of the 36.7 million were adults, 17.8 million were women above the age of 15 years, 1.8 million were newly infected with HIV and 1 million people died because of AIDS-related illnesses
This information is confirmed by the participants at a later stage and it is consistent with previous research findings that gender division is one of the most significant inequalities which cuts across all social and income groups.[9,10]
Farmworkers in this study universally reported that they had heard of HIV and/or AIDS and attested that information is available in the form of posters
Summary
An estimated 36.7 million people were living with HIV in 2016; 34.5 million of the 36.7 million were adults, 17.8 million were women above the age of 15 years, 1.8 million were newly infected with HIV and 1 million people died because of AIDS-related illnesses. In June 2017, 20.9 million people were accessing antiretroviral treatment (ART). Sub-Saharan Africa is home to more than half of people living with HIV globally. South Africa has the biggest HIV epidemic profile in the world, with an estimated 7.1 million people living with HIV in 2016. South Africa accounts for a third of all new HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2016, there were 270 000 new HIV infections and about two-thirds were women. In June 2016, 3.7 million people were accessing ART. The farming community in which the participants in the study live operates along such patriarchal lines, with the men making the important decisions for their families
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