HIV/AIDS-related beliefs, perception and sexual behaviours in metropolitan Cape Town, South Africa

Amos Oyedokun, University of the Witwatersrand
Clifford O. Odimegwu, University of the Witwatersrand
Isaiah O. Oyedokun, Independant Consultant

This paper uses Wave 1 data of Cape Area Panel Study (CAPS) which is a longitudinal study of the lives of 4,800 young adults to investigate the impact of HIV/AIDS-related beliefs and risk perception on sexual behaviours of young people in Cape Town, South Africa based on the Health Belief Model. Results showed that a larger proportion of the young people under the study fall within ages of 17 and 19 with mean age of 17.88 years. Forty-six percent (N=4,744) had been sexually active (45% for males and 46% for females), and majority had their first sexual debut between ages 14 and 18 with the mean age at first sexual intercourse of 16.22 years. Further analysis showed that sex of the respondents, and whether currently in school significantly influence the outcome variables consistently. Recommendations were made on the appropriate ways to design effective intervention programmes.