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HIV/AIDS knowledge and condom use among Somali and Sudanese immigrants in Denmark

Department of Health Sciences, Lund University, Sweden, jeffrey.lazarus{at}med.lu.se, Sexually transmitted infections/HIV/AIDS programme, WHO Regional Office for Europe

Himedan Mohammed Himedan

Department of International Health, Institute of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Lise Rosendal Østergaard

Aidsnet, the Danish NGO Network on AIDS and Development

Jerker Liljestrand

Department of Health Sciences, Lund University, Sweden

Aims: This study explores the knowledge, attitudes and practices among Somali and Sudanese immigrants in Denmark with regard to HIV/AIDS and condom use. Material and methods: A 78-item questionnaire, divided into five thematic sections, was given to 192 purposively selected Sudanese and Somalis of both sexes, aged 18—49, who had lived in Denmark for one or more years. It was administered in Arabic and Somali in four locations and supplemented by 13 semi-structured interviews. Results: Education, sex, and nationality, but not length of residence in Denmark, were positively associated with knowledge about HIV/AIDS. Less than half of both men and women scored more than 70% on the knowledge portion of the questionnaire, while Sudanese knew more than Somalis. Men had a more negative attitude towards condoms than women, but greater knowledge about them. One-third of the women reported never having seen or heard of a condom, and almost half had never received information about condoms. Both sexes preferred receiving such information from the TV or friends instead of family doctors or HIV-positive individuals. Conclusions: This study suggests that knowledge about HIV/ AIDS is low in these two Danish immigrant groups, both of which are characterized by reported incidence rates that are higher than the national average. The groups receive little information, while condom knowledge is particularly low among poorly educated women, and men have a negative attitude to condom use. The findings indicate a need for targeted, culturally sensitive HIV/AIDS information and advice.

Key Words: Africa • condoms • Denmark • heterosexual transmission • immigrants • knowledge/attitude/practice studies

Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, Vol. 34, No. 1, 92-99 (2006)
DOI: 10.1080/14034940510032211


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