Page 108 - SAHCS HIVMed Journal Vol 20 No 1 2019

Page 6 of 9 Original Research

TABLE 6: Background characteristics by perception of risk to HIV infection.
Variable No risk (%) Low risk (%) High risk (%) χ-value p Total
Age 24.193 0.000 182
15–19 67.6 23.6 8.8 - - 229
20–24 55.5 35.8 8.7 - - 192
25–29 48.4 40.1 11.5 - - 181
30–35 44.2 42.5 13.3 - - -
Marital status 21.891 0.000
Never married 58.4 31.9 9.7 - - 263
Married or living together 47.1 43.0 9.9 - - 26
Formerly married 23.4 45.8 30.8 - - 495
Education 17.487 0.002
Primary 56.8 37.8 5.4 - - 37
Secondary 57.1 32.5 10.4 - - 618
Higher 38.0 49.6 12.4 - - 129
Wealth status 1.970 0.741
Low 55.1 34.8 10.1 276
Medium 56.0 34.7 9.3 - - 248
High 50.8 36.8 12.4 - - 260
Employment status 14.431 0.001
Employed 48.1 40.8 11.1 - - 439
Unemployed 61.4 29.0 9.6 - - 345
Religion 12.154 0.144
Mainline 53.2 37.0 9.8 - - 265
Pentecostal 55.4 37.9 6.7 - - 169
Apostolic sect 58.6 29.6 11.8 - - 193
Other religion 54.2 31.3 14.5 - - 83
No religion 41.9 43.2 14.9 - - 74
Ethnicity 4.964 0.084
Shona 55.1 34.4 10.5 - - 710
Other 43.2 47.3 9.5 - - 74
Ever tested for HIV 30.315 0.000
Yes 47.3 42.1 10.6 - - 759
No 43.2 47.3 9.5 - - 25
Approve of VCT prior to MC 5.103 0.078
Yes 57.9 31.6 10.5 - - 171
No 52.9 36.8 10.3 - - 613
Ever heard of VMMC 3.471 0.176
Yes 53.4 36.1 10.5 - - 759
No 72.0 20.0 8.0 - - 25
Number (Total) 423 279 82 - - 784
Percentage 54.0 35.6 10.4 - - 100
VCT, voluntary counselling and testing; MC, male circumcision; VMMC, voluntary medical male circumcision.

Discussion However, only youth aged 25–29 years compared to those
aged 30–35 years were less likely to have high knowledge
This study sought to examine youths’ knowledge about about male circumcision. Studies elsewhere show contrary
male circumcision and perception of risk of HIV infection on findings. For example, one study in particular found no
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the one hand, and selected background characteristics, on significant association between age and knowledge about
the other. In the Zimbabwean context, little is known about male circumcision among young people and adults surveyed
the impact of background characteristics on social variables in rural Uganda. The differences in these results could have
related to knowledge of male circumcision and perception of been attributed to the differences in the context of the studies
risk of HIV infection among urban men aged 15–35 years, and the definition of youth. ‘Youth’ in the study was defined
despite the fact that this is a key subpopulation in the fight as men aged 14–24 years and ‘adults’ as those aged 24 years
against HIV. While some studies have looked at these social and above.
variables related to male circumcision, it is mostly among
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different subpopulations, only included as predictor Furthermore, the findings showed that youth with
variables or not as exhaustive and critically analysed as primary and secondary education were less likely to have
done in the present study. knowledge about male circumcision compared to those with
a higher level of education. One study observed similar
Knowledge about male circumcision appeared to increase relationships in Zimbabwe among soccer players, with
with age. Youth aged 15–19, 20–24 and 25–29 years all were those with higher education levels having more knowledge
less likely to have high knowledge about male circumcision. about male circumcision compared to those with lower levels

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