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If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. In Mozambique, HIV infection disproportionately affects young adults, particularly women.
Despite awareness and knowledge of HIV transmission, many university students have not received HIV testing and continue to engage in high-risk sexual behaviors, including inconsistent condom use. Further understanding of patterns of engagement with HIV prevention and testing is key to reducing HIV transmission in this at-risk population. This study used a sequential mixed methods approach to examine patterns of engagement and perceptions of HIV prevention and testing services among higher education students in Mozambique.
We employed univariate and multivariate regression models. The survey was followed by qualitative interviews with 70 survey participants which were analyzed using an inductive, content-focused analysis to further explain and contextualize survey findings.
Women were also subject to negative stereotypes for possessing condoms in comparison to men, which could explain lower propensity for use. Given gendered differences in uptake of condom use and HIV testing, and perceived HIV risk, interventions tailored specifically to male and female students may impact engagement with HIV prevention and testing and empower informed choices about sexual behaviors.
