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HIV/AIDS: A Survey of Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behavior in Post War Liberia

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Applied Demography and Public Health in the 21st Century

Part of the book series: Applied Demography Series ((ADS,volume 8))

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Abstract

A survey of 170 Liberians was conducted through a partnership between Rust College in Mississippi, USA and Cuttington University, Liberia, funded by the United Negro College Fund Special Programs (UNCFSP) in 2006. Data were gathered on respondents’ socio-economic characteristics, alcohol use, and sex life; awareness of HIV/AIDS; knowledge of HIV/AIDS; sources of information about HIV/AIDS; beliefs, attitudes and behavior; opinions related to sexual practices; awareness of condom; and, access to media and acceptance of message on safe sex . The study findings showed that, on the whole, the levels of awareness of HIV/AIDS, knowledge of its origins and knowledge of preventive behaviors appeared to be considerably higher than their level of protective behaviors for safe sex—i.e., their knowledge and awareness did not change significantly their risky behavior. These findings suggest that there is a critical need for capacity building and implementation of effective HIV/AIDS prevention strategies to overcome negative health related consequences, including dissemination, intervention and evaluation associated with the risk of contracting and spreading HIV/AIDS in Liberia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Behavioral Sciences and Population Studies Center, Fort Valley State University, Fort Valley, GA, USA

    Komanduri S. Murty

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  1. Komanduri S. Murty
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Correspondence to Komanduri S. Murty .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Hobby Center for Public Policy, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA

    M. Nazrul Hoque

  2. Institute for Demographic and and Socioeconomic Research, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, USA

    Beverly Pecotte

  3. Health Statistics Branch, Center for Public Health Practice, Arkansas Department of Health, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA

    Mary A. McGehee

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Murty, K.S. (2017). HIV/AIDS: A Survey of Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behavior in Post War Liberia. In: Hoque, M., Pecotte, B., McGehee, M. (eds) Applied Demography and Public Health in the 21st Century. Applied Demography Series, vol 8. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43688-3_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43688-3_17

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-43686-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-43688-3

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