Using focus groups to develop HIV education among adolescent females in Zimbabwe

Seventy-eight adolescent females from Zimbabwe participatedin focus groups to assess need for HIV/AIDS prevention and education.The interview guide dealt with HIV transmission, preventionand education. Results show a high level of awareness regardingHIV transmission, however, myths and misconceptions still persist.General AIDS information was perceived as widely available,but individual counseling was perceived as nonexistent. Althoughmost of the young women still hold to traditional values regardingmarriage, negative male sexual attitudes and economic hardshipswere perceived as major factors that make females of their agevulnerable to HIV infections. Participants recommended face-to-face,gender-specific HIV/AIDS prevention and education. Nurses, physicians,persons living with AIDS and church officials were identifiedas possible facilitators. Based on this focus group experience,future efforts in developing comprehensive AIDS prevention andeducation programs should target adolescent and adult malesin order to assess salient issues regarding HIV/AIDS preventionand education.