Relevancy for Corporates to Engage in the Fight against Hiv/aids in Kinshasa

Johan W de Jager, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa, E-mail: DeJagerJW@tut.ac.za ABSTRACT. Over the years, Africa has become the most HIV/AIDS burdened region worldwide. The epidemic did not spare the workforce as much as all the other social forces of African communities. Success in combating the epidemic requires corporates to join forces with governments and non-profit organisations in addressing the issue. However it is noticed that companies have not been playing their part in the struggle against HIV/AIDS. Product-moment correlation, t-Test and multinomial logistic regression performed on empirical data demonstrated that unemployed people are better exposed to HIV/AIDS information than employed ones as they spend more time at work without exposure to HIV/AIDS messages, and are less likely to engage in risky sexual behaviour. Both female and male-employed are highly sexually active, while female-employed are more likely to being unfaithful. In other words, the workforce is at more risk of acquiring the virus, a fact that leads to the necessity for companies’ intervention. Received: December, 2016 1st Revision: April, 2017 Accepted: June, 2017

[1]  T. Habtewold,et al.  Assessment of Prevalence and Determinants of Occupational Exposure to HIV Infection among Healthcare Workers in Selected Health Institutions in Debre Berhan Town, North Shoa Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia, 2014 , 2014 .

[2]  G. Mubyazi,et al.  Estimated risk of HIV acquisition and practice for preventing occupational exposure: a study of healthcare workers at Tumbi and Dodoma Hospitals, Tanzania , 2013, BMC Health Services Research.

[3]  P. Aggleton,et al.  Social influences on young people's sexual health in Uganda , 2013 .

[4]  K. Oppong Asante.  HIV/AIDS knowledge and uptake of HIV counselling and testing among undergraduate private university students in Accra, Ghana , 2013, Reproductive Health.

[5]  G. A. Alemie.  Exploration of healthcare workers’ perceptions on occupational risk of HIV transmission at the University of Gondar Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia , 2012, BMC Research Notes.

[6]  P. Araujo,et al.  On the association between HIV knowledge and unsafe sexual behaviour in India , 2012 .

[7]  K. Shi,et al.  HIV-related stigma acting as predictors of unemployment of people living with HIV/AIDS , 2012, AIDS care.

[8]  Deevia Bhana,et al.  Girls want money, boys want virgins: the materiality of love amongst South African township youth in the context of HIV and AIDS , 2011, Culture, health & sexuality.

[9]  A. Ghajarieh,et al.  Addressing Men and Gender Diversity in Education: A Promising Solution to the HIV/AIDS Epidemic , 2011, Health care for women international.

[10]  J. Levinsohn,et al.  HIV Status and Labor Market Participation in South Africa , 2011, Review of Economics and Statistics.

[11]  M. Chaanda,et al.  A Review of the Impact of HIV/AIDS on Education, the Workforce and Workplace: The African Experience , 2011 .

[12]  S. Weine,et al.  The roles of labor migrants' wives in HIV/AIDS risk and prevention in Tajikistan , 2011, AIDS care.

[13]  O. Akpa,et al.  HIV/AIDS and the long-distance truck drivers in south-west Nigeria: a cross-sectional survey on the knowledge, attitude, risk behaviour and beliefs of truckers. , 2010, Journal of infection and public health.

[14]  Rebecca Nicholas.  HIV prevention for young women of Uganda must now address poverty and gender inequalities. , 2010, Journal of health organization and management.

[15]  L. Simbayi,et al.  Challenges Faced by People Living with HIV/AIDS in Cape Town, South Africa: Issues for Group Risk Reduction Interventions , 2010, AIDS research and treatment.

[16]  Nancy R. Lee,et al.  Social Marketing for Public Health: Global Trends and Success Stories , 2009 .

[17]  E. Tlou.  The application of the theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour to a workplace HIV/AIDS health promotion programme , 2009 .

[18]  Wendy J Werner.  Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives Addressing Social Exclusion in Bangladesh , 2009, Journal of health, population, and nutrition.

[19]  K. D. de Cock,et al.  HIV prevention for a threatened continent: implementing positive prevention in Africa. , 2006, JAMA.

[20]  M. Russi.  HIV and AIDS in the workplace. , 2002, Journal of occupational and environmental medicine.

[21]  C. Arndt,et al.  The HIV/AIDS pandemic in South Africa: sectoral impacts and unemployment , 2001 .

[22]  K. Hardee,et al.  What works for women and girls -- evidence for HIV/AIDS interventions. , 2010 .

[23]  J. B. Sousa,et al.  [AIDS, stigma and unemployment: implications for health services]. , 2007, Revista de saude publica.

[24]  R. Bunnell,et al.  Implementing Positive Prevention in Africa HIV Prevention for a Threatened Continent : Correction , 2006 .

[25]  N. Nattrass,et al.  Opportunities for business in the fight against HIV / AIDS. A framework for analysis of the impact of HIV / AIDS on business and the benefits of direct company action in the global response. Discussion paper. , 2004 .