Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Protect or Enable? Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices Regarding Provision of Sexuality Education to Learners with Disability in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Sexuality and Disability Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Literature argues that people with disabilities have heightened risk of exposure to sexually transmitted infections, including HIV due to lack of HIV knowledge, access to health services, and increased risk of sexual abuse and poverty. People with disabilities lack access to sexuality education. Teachers should be at the forefront to address this; however there is little understanding of the knowledge, attitudes, practices and needs of teachers of learners with disabilities in regards to sexuality/HIV education in Africa. A pilot study was conducted in ten special schools (eight urban, two rural) representing four types of disabilities in South Africa. Data was collected from 99 teachers using scales investigating beliefs and practice in teaching sexuality education, perceived subjective norms, self-efficacy, and materials/professional preparation. Frequencies, means, standard deviations and Cronbach’s alphas were calculated for all scales. The data shows that overall teachers have positive attitudes towards teaching all elements of comprehensive sexuality education. However, they find it easier to discuss “soft topics” around relationships and personal skills (e.g., hygiene) than to talk about sexual behavior and functions. Teachers expressed confidence in their ability to teach sexuality education but indicated that their professional preparation and materials are not adequate to provide accessible sexuality education to their learners. The study highlights the need to develop appropriate materials and to build teachers’ capacity to deliver sexuality and HIV education to learners with disabilities.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Groce, N.E.: Global survey on HIV/AIDS and disability. http://cira.med.yale.edu/globalsurvey (2004). Accessed 01.09. 2004

  2. Hanass-Hancock, J.(2009). Disability and HIV/AIDS—a systematic review of literature in Africa. J. Int. AIDS Soc. 12, 34, http://www.jiasociety.org/series/hiv_aids_and_disability

  3. UNAIDS: Disability and HIV policy brief. In: UNAIDS (ed.). (2009)

  4. United Nations General Assembly: Implementation of the declaration of commitment on HIV/AIDS: political declaration on HIV/AIDS: intensifying our efforts to eliminate HIV/AIDS. In: UN high level meeting, New York 2011

  5. SANAC: national strategic plan on HIV. STIs and TB. 2012–2016. Summary. In: SANAC, Johannesburg, (2011)

  6. Rohleder, P., Braathen, S.H., Swartz, L., Eide, A.H.: HIV/AIDS and disability in Southern Africa: a review of relevant literature. Disabil. Rehabil. 31(1), 51–59 (2009). doi:10.1080/09638280802280585

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Groce, N.E., Trasi, R.: Rape of individuals with disability: AIDS and the folk belief of virgin cleansing. Lancet 363(9422), 1663–1664 (2004). doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(04)16288-0

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Collins, P.Y.: Dual taboos: sexuality and women with severe mental illness in South Africa. Perceptions of mental health care providers. AIDS Behav. 5, 151–161 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Yousafzai, A., Edward, K.: Double burden: a situation analysis of HIV/AIDS and young people with disabilities in Rwanda and Uganda. In. Save the Children, London (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  10. De Beaudrap, P.: Burden of HIV infection among people with disabilities living in Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis. In: ICASA, Cape Town, 10.12.2013 2013. IAS

  11. Groce, N.E., Yousafzai, A.K., Van Der Maas, F.: HIV/AIDS and disability: differences in HIV/AIDS knowledge between deaf and hearing population in Nigeria. Disabil. Rehabil. 29, 367–371 (2007)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Dawood, N., Bhagwanjee, A., Govender, K., Chohan, E.: Knowledge, attitudes and sexual practices of adolescents with mild mental retardation, in relation to HIV/AIDS. Afr. J. AIDS Res. 5(1), 1–10 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Aderemi, T.J., Pillay, B.J., Esterhuizen, T.M.: Differences in HIV knowledge and sexual practices of learners with intellectual disabilities and non-disabled learners in Nigeria. J Int AIDS Soc 16, 17331 (2013). doi:10.7448/ias.16.1.17331

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Irvine, A.: Issues in sexuality for individuals with developmental disabilities: myths, misconceptions, and mistreatment. Except. Educ. Can. 3, 5–20 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Hanass-Hancock, J.: Disability and HIV/AIDS—a systematic review of literature on Africa. J Int AIDS Soc 2(1), 9 (2009). doi:10.1186/1758-2652-2-9

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Groce, N.E., Trasi, R.: Rape of individuals with disability: AIDS and the folk belief of virgin cleansing. Lancet 363, 1663–1664 (2004)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Hanass-Hancock, J.: Interweaving conceptualizations of gender and disability in the context of vulnerability to HIV/AIDS in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Sex Disabil. 27(1), 35–47 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Hughes, K., Bellis, M.A., Jones, L., Wood, S., Bates, G., Eckley, L., McCoy, E., Mikton, C., Shakespeare, T., Officer, A.: Prevalence and risk of violence against adults with disabilities: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Lancet (2012). doi:10.1016/S0410-6736(11)61851-5

    PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  19. Jones, L., Bellis, M.A., Wood, S., Hughes, K., McCoy, E., Eckley, L., Bates, G., Mikton, C., Shakespeare, T., Officer, A.: Prevalence and risk of violence against children with disabilities: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Lancet (2012). doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(12)60692-8

    Google Scholar 

  20. Watermeyer, B., Swartz, L., Lorenzo, T., Schneider, M., Priestley, M.: Disability and social change a South African agenda. HSRC, Capetown (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Dickman, B.J., Roux, A.J.: Complainants with learning disabilities in sexual abuse cases: a 10-year review of a psycho-legal project in Cape Town, South Africa. Br. J. Learn. Disabil. 33(3), 138–144 (2005). doi:10.1111/j.1468-3156.2005.00355.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Kvam, M.H., Braathen, S.H.: “I thought maybe this is my chance”: sexual abuse against girls and women with disabilities in Malawi. Sex. Abuse J. Res. Treat. 20(1), 5–24 (2008). doi:10.1177/1079063208314817

    Google Scholar 

  23. Save the Children and Handicap International: Out from the shadows. Sexual violence against children with disabilities In. Save the Children Fund, London (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Aderemi, T.J., Pillay, B.J.: Sexual abstinence and HIV knowledge in school-going adolescents with intellectual disabilities and non-disabled adolescents in Nigeria. J. Child Adolesc. Ment. Health 25(2), 161–174 (2013). doi:10.2989/17280583.2013.823867

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Hanass-Hancock, J.: Invisible—the notion of disability in the context of HIV/AIDS in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Suedwestdeutscher Verlag fuer Hochschulschriften, Saarbruecken (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  26. Sicking, L.: The challenges of reporting, investigating, and prosecuting of sexual violence among people with disabilities in South Africa. VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Wazakili, M.: Sexuallity education in HIV and AIDS prevention: the case of disabled young people in Nyanga, South Africa. (2010)

  28. Eastgate, G.: Sexual health for people with intellectual disability. Salud Publica Mex. 50(Suppl 2), s255–s259 (2008)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Kirby, D.B., Laris, B.A., Lori, A., Rolleri, M.S.W.: Sex and HIV education programs: their impact on sexual behaviours of young people throughout the world. J. Adolesc. Health 40, 206–207 (2007)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. UNESCO: Review of sex, relationship and HIV education in schools. www.unesco.org (2007)

  31. Howard-Barr, E.M., Rienzo, B.A., Pigg Jr, R.M., James, D.: Teacher beliefs, professional preparation, and practices regarding exceptional students and sexuality education. J. Sch. Health 75(3), 99–104 (2005). doi:10.1111/j.1746-1561.2005.00004.x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Wilkenfeld, B.B., Ballan, M.S.: Educators’ attitudes and beliefs towards the sexuality of individuals with developmental disabilities. Sex. Disabil. 29, 351 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Howard-Barr, E.M., Rienzo, B.A., Pigg Jr, R.M., James, D.: Teacher beliefs, professional preparation, and practices regarding exceptional students and sexuality education. J. Sch. Health 75(3), 99–104 (2005)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Rohlander, P., Swartz, L., Schneider, M., Henning Eide, A.: Challanges to providing HIV prevention education to youth with disabiliteis in South Africa. Disabil. Rehabil. 34(8), 619–624 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Rohleder, P.: Educators’ ambivalence and managing anxiety in providing sex education for people with learning disabilities. Psychodyn. Pract. 16(2), 165–182 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  36. UNESCO: Young people today time to act now. Why adolescents and young people need comprehensive sexuality education and sexual and reproductive health services in Eastern and Southern Africa. In. UNESCO, Paris, France, (2013)

  37. South Africa Department of Basic Education: Revised national curriculum statement grades R-9 (Schools). In. Pretoria, South Africa, (2011)

  38. Rohleder, P.: ‘They don’t know how to defend themselves’: talk about disability and HIV risk in South Africa. Disabil. Rehabil. 32(10), 855–863 (2010). doi:10.3109/09638280903314077

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Rohleder, P., Swartz, L.: Providing sex education to persons with learning disabilities in the era of HIV/AIDS: tensions between discourses of human rights and restriction. J Health Psychol. 14(4), 601–610 (2009). doi:10.1177/1359105309103579

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Rohleder, P., Swartz, L., Schneider, M., Eide, A.H.: Challenges to providing HIV prevention education to youth with disabilities in South Africa. Disabil. Rehabil. 34(8), 619–624 (2012). doi:10.3109/09638288.2011.613512

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Eide, A.H., Schur, C., Ranchod, C., Rohleder, P., Swartz, L., Schneider, M.: Disabled persons’ knowledge of HIV prevention and access to health care prevention services in South Africa. AIDS Care 23(12), 1595–1601 (2011). doi:10.1080/09540121.2011.575119

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Visser, M.J., Schoeman, J.B., Perold, J.J.: Evaluation of HIV/AIDS prevention in South African schools. J Health Psychol 9(2), 263–280 (2004). doi:10.1177/1359105304040893

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Casale, M., Jill, H.-H.: Of drama, dreams and desire: creative approaches to applied sex education in Southern Africa. Sex Educ. 11(4), 353–368 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. Henken, S.: The development and validation of a new instrument that measures the needs and practices of educators who teach sexuality education to learners with a disability in South Africa. University of Amsterdam and University of KZN, Masters (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  45. Rimer, B.K., Glanz, K.: Theory at a glance: a guide for health promotion practice. US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institutes. (2005)

  46. George, G., Govender, K., Reardon, C.: Which teachers talk about sex? Psycho-social determinants of educator engagement with high school learners on HIV/AIDS and sexual practices. J. Educ. 50, 83–114 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  47. Mathews, C., Boon, H., Flisher, A.J., Schaalm, H.P.: Factors associated with teachers’ implementation of HIV/AIDS education in secondary schools in Cape Town, South Africa. AIDS Care 18(4), 388 (2006)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. de Reus, L.: The voice of educators. The perspective of educators providing sexuality and HIV education to learners with disabilities. Amsterdam: University of Amsterdam (2013)

  49. Aderemi, T.J.: Teachers’ perspectives on sexuality and sexuality education of learners with intellectual disabilities in Nigeria. Sex. Disabil. (2013). doi:10.1007/s11195-013-9307-7

    Google Scholar 

  50. Prinsloo, E.: Implementation of life orientation programmes in the new curriculum in South African schools: perceptions of principals and life orientation teachers. South Afr. J. Educ. 27(1), 155–170 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  51. Oshi, D.C., Nakalema, S., Oshi, L.L.: Cultural and social aspects of HIV/AIDS sex education in secondary schools in Nigeria. J. Biosoc. Sci. 37(2), 175–183 (2005)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Wazakili, M., Mpofu, R., Devlieger, P.: Should issues of sexuality and HIV and AIDS be a rehabilitation concern? The voices of young South Africans with physical disabilities. Disabil. Rehabil. 31(1), 32–41 (2009)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Di Giulio, G.: Sexuality and people living with physical or developmental disabilities: a review of key issues. Can. J. Hum. Sex. 12(1), 53–68 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  54. Johns, R.: All about me—a lifeskills, sexuality and HIV/AIDS education programmes for learners with intellectual disability: a facilitator’s manual. Western Cape Forum for Intellectual Disability, Cape Town (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  55. Rohleder, P., Swartz, L.: Providing sex education to persons with learning disabilities in the era of HIV/AIDS: tension between discourses of human rights and restriction. J Health Psychol. 14(4), 601–610 (2009)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the Health Economics and HIV and AIDS Research Division (HEARD) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Health Economics and HIV and AIDS Research Division (HEARD), University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Durban, 4000, South Africa

    Petronella Chirawu, Jill Hanass-Hancock, Toyin Janet Aderemi, Liset de Reus & Anna Sophie Henken

  2. Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands

    Liset de Reus & Anna Sophie Henken

Authors
  1. Petronella Chirawu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jill Hanass-Hancock
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Toyin Janet Aderemi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Liset de Reus
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Anna Sophie Henken
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Petronella Chirawu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chirawu, P., Hanass-Hancock, J., Aderemi, T.J. et al. Protect or Enable? Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices Regarding Provision of Sexuality Education to Learners with Disability in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Sex Disabil 32, 259–277 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11195-014-9355-7

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11195-014-9355-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation