Browsing by Author "Shumba, Kemist."

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4

'Just a snip?' : Lemba circumcisers' perspectives on medical male circumcision for HIV prevention in Mberengwa district of rural Zimbabwe.
(2014) Shumba, Kemist.; Akintola, Olagoke.
Medical Male Circumcision (MMC) is an HIV ‘prevention technology’ hailed for holding the promise to containing the epidemic. MMC augments the vision of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) that pins hope on the possibility of zero new infections through the adoption of a comprehensive prevention approach. This study’s impetus stems from the view that the success of MMC is anchored not only on the premise that its wide-scale implementation subsequently lowers HIV incidence in heterosexual men practicing vaginal penetrative sex, but is also dependent on the readiness of the target population to undergo circumcision. From a culture-centred approach which holds that health promotion programmes should be planned, implemented and evaluated within the context of the relevant socio-cultural beliefs and value systems prevalent in a particular community, the study is a qualitative exploration of perceptions on MMC for HIV prevention among the Lemba people of Mberengwa. The Lemba are a traditionally circumcising cultural group. In light of the culture-centred approach, how they perceive MMC is worth investigation if success has to be achieved in its implementation among this cultural group. The objective of the study is to identify factors influencing collaboration of Lemba traditional circumcisers and medical institutions rolling out voluntary MMC. Purposively selected Lemba surgeons and elders participated in this study. Findings suggest that the Lemba practise male circumcision not as a mere surgical operation but as a symbolic cultural ritual that is value laden. However, they are ready to embrace MMC provided that it is done in a way that does not compromise the cultural values they attach to male circumcision. A deeper insight into Lemba perspectives generated in this study has been used to suggest ways in which the Ministry of Health and Child Care in Zimbabwe can scale-up roll out of voluntary MMC in Mberengwa through creating synergies between cultural and medical perspectives. For example, the majority of participants suggested that making use of Lemba initiates with medical training to conduct circumcisions in Murundu camps can help increase uptake of VMMC.
Understanding university students’ experiences of voluntary medical male circumcision: a qualitative inquiry.
(2021) Mbambo, Siyabonga Arron.; Shumba, Kemist.
Voluntary medical male circumcision remains the most crucial feature in the fight against new heterosexual HIV infections. Generally, men engage in sexual intercourse soon after undergoing VMMC. Therefore, research which focus on the factors influencing the men’s decision to undergo VMMC, their prevalent sexual experiences post VMMC, and meanings attached to VMMC after undergoing VMMC is important. The study used a qualitative research design and it is located within an interpretivist paradigm. In-depth individual interviews were conducted with UKZN Howard College students. A total of 10 students were purposively selected and participated in the in-depth interviews. Although ten interviews were pre-planned, data saturation was achieved from the eighth interview. Four participants were master’s students, three were honours students, and the rest were final year undergraduate students. All participants were Christians. The Health Belief Model was used as the conceptual framework and thematic analysis, as described by Braun and Clarke (2006), was used to analyse data. The in-depth individual interviews showed main motivations which resulted from the perceptions that influenced the men’s decision to undergo VMMC. VMMC main motivational factors included reducing chances of HIV infection, preventing STI infection, hygiene, peer pressure, enhancing sex, and abstaining from sex. Participants reported post-VMMC sexual experiences of big and clean penis, improved self-esteem, enhanced sexual functioning due to pleasurable sex, and removed sex pain. The new VMMC meanings post-VMMC procedure also elicited the need for dual protection and understanding of VMMC as painless procedure that means a personal responsibility. The findings from this study elicited that the participants experienced enhanced sexual functioning post-VMMC procedure. More research is needed to focus on the sexual experiences before and post-VMMC procedure in order to appropriately inform VMMC recruitment strategies.
Use of sexual pleasure-enhancing substances among hair salon female workers in Durban: a qualitative inquiry.
(2020) Nxumalo, Sinethemba Virginia.; Shumba, Kemist.
The use of sexual pleasure-enhancing substances (SPES) is fast-gaining traction among sexually active, young Black females globally. The researcher’s interest is on the implications of this practice on safe sex. The use of pleasure-enhancing substances and vaginal practices, particularly intra-vaginal cleansing and the drying or tightening of the vagina is driven by beliefs that may ensure sexual pleasure as every woman’s prerogative. Thus, women risk acquiring sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV. The belief that SPES are only efficacious without using the barrier method elevates women’s risk of acquiring HIV. This study aims to explore the use of SPES among female hair salon workers in Durban to foster an understanding of how this practice impacts on safe sex practices and sexual reproductive health. The study used qualitative interviews to elicit the views of 12 selected young Black African women (BAW) working in hair salons in Durban’s central business district (CBD) regarding the use of SPES and various vaginal practices. Purposive and the snowball sampling techniques were used to identify information-rich participants. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that SPES affect safe sex practices and place women’s sexual reproductive health at risk. Most young BAW were not practising safe sex with their partners. The practice of unsafe sex among this cohort was driven by the need to sexually satisfy male partners, thus maintaining the much-needed grip in love relationships. The findings also indicate that BAW are conversant with sexual and reproductive health issues.
Voluntary medical male circumcision and condoms for HIV prevention among school youth: marginal voices for a coherent sexual and reproductive school health policy in Zimbabwe.
(2018) Shumba, Kemist.; Meyer-Weitz, Anna.; Oppong Asante, Kwaku.
Background: Voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) is a component of HIV prevention. It is important to the HIV prevention agenda in priority settings; characterised by hyper endemic and generalised epidemics coupled with low percentages of circumcised males. Literature relating to school youth vis-à-vis VMMC and condoms is sorely missing. The study sought to fill this gap. Method: The study adopted a qualitative research design and an interpretivist paradigm. It used focus group discussions (FGDs) with learner participants, and key informant interviews (KIIs) with adults drawn from four schools (two per district: Mberengwa and Zvishavane). Seven sex-segregated FGDs were conducted. In terms of KIIs, a total of nine adults participated in one-on-one in-depth interviews. Adult participants were either Guidance and Counselling educators or health workers. Seven educators and two health workers participated in the KIIs. Data were thematically analysed. Findings: Both FGDs and KIIs produced rich and thick data indicating that school learners have limited knowledge and comprehension of basic facts related to HIV and AIDS. Many of the learner participants were ignorant of facts around VMMC for HIV prevention. Findings suggest that the acceptability of VMMC is high, but there is need for improving access to VMMC services. Furthermore, the need to make VMMC more comprehensive through increasing access to condoms and robust sex education, were some of the prominent findings. The study revealed that HIV prevention options, particularly for female learners were too limited, and those for boys were largely fragmented. Participants also identified several challenges that confront educators, the education system, and other stakeholders in their attempt to mitigate HIV among school adolescents, and adolescent sexual and reproductive health. These include a discriminatory, judgmental and narrow focused legal and policy framework. Conclusion: The study’s findings suggest that learners tend to prefer risk reduction methods to risk avoiding strategies such as abstinence. As such, most of the learner participants framed abstinence as being Utopian. Both data sets advance a discourse of a rights-based approach to adolescent sexual and reproductive health that is not dismissive of the agency of young people in enhancing sexual health and well-being.