Skip to main content

Table 1 KAP results

From: A decade of an HIV workplace programme in armed conflict zones; a social responsibility response of the International Committee of the Red Cross

• Good age representation of the ICRC staff, but lower completion rate in remote offices than in the capital city

• Good knowledge (mean score of 14.3 on a scale of 20) on HIV main modes of transmission except mother to child transmission where 40 % to 55 % of them did not know the way of preventing mother to child transmission. According to countries 3 (Kenya) to 16 % (Burundi) believed HIV is transmitted by witchcraft, and for 3 (Kenya) to 23 % (DRC) it is God’s punishment.

• Misconception as “birth control pills prevent HIV transmission, or mosquito transmission” were made by respectively 17.4 and 10.7 % (North Kenya) in some remote offices.

• Employees below 25 years had a significant difference in knowledge index. There is a confirmed correlation between level of education and knowledge index.

• According to countries, between 5 to 15 % of the staff reported having a diagnosed STI in the preceding 12 months and only 40 % agreed that having many sexual partners can lead to STI while 10 (Kenya) to 21 % (DRC) declared having more than two partners in the last 6 months (singles > married, but not related to number of days out of station)

• In average 70 % were willing to go for VCT, 65 % if done at the workplace with confidentiality.

• More than 80 % who were tested shared the results with someone, but disparities were documented in Kenya between the capital and remote office were, respective, 38 to 53 % were never tested due to fear.

• While 83 to 93 % declared themselves ready to take care of a PLHIV relative, 70 (North Kenya office) to 94 % (DRC) declared that a sick relative should remain a secret.

• Up to 90 % declared themselves comfortable discussing HIV/AIDS with a counsellor, only 70 % were ready to do it with their children and 65 % with their boss. Discussion about their own status was significantly lower (from 78 % with spouse to 12 % with the boss). 75 to 80 % agreed that PLHIV have an equal chance of recruitment or promotion at the ICRC

• Staff from remote offices were significantly considering themselves at low infection risk, while they were also scoring lower in knowledge index.

• In North Kenya, up to 14 % of the men and 20 % of women described having been forced to have sex.

• While few declared regular alcohol consumption, there was a correlation between daily alcohol consumption and reporting sex with a commercial sex worker.

• Condom perception and use showed better results for 25 to 39 years old. Persons younger than 25 years scored lower due to shame and misconception. The consistency of condom use was not assessed.

• More than 95 % saw a PLHIV dying of AIDS