Rajiv Rimal
Mozambique
Bloomberg School of Public Health, MHS/MPH program
A mixed-methods formative research study will be conducted on role of gender concepts and social norms in fueling sexual HIV transmission in Mozambique. Results will inform the design of a national communications intervention to change social norms around high-risk sexual activities, with a focus on discouraging transactional sex, intergenerational sex, multiple partners, and encouraging condom use, delay, and secondary abstinence. There will be an emphasis on research among older males and concepts of masculinity, as these are the primary initiators of sexual activity. A combination of in-depth unstructured interviews, semi-structured surveys, interactive group research techniques, and observation will be applied in all 10 provinces in Mozambique, with a focus on the three provinces of highest HIV prevalence. Research will aim to reveal cultural terms, sexual scripting roles, and local metaphors appropriate to addressing these topics.
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