Religion and non-marital fertility: A qualitative study of the perspectives and experiences of South African Muslim women

In light of the rising number of children born outside of formal marriage, there is increasing concern about the well-being of these mothers and children, especially since they mostly come from disadvantaged populations. This study aims to determine the role religion plays in the experience of non­marital fertility. This study draws on data from ten in-depth interviews with women in Durban, South Africa. The study found that women did not anticipate the negative impact of non­marital fertility prior to experiencing their first birth. The main reason contributing to the experience of non­marital fertility was the lack of sex education.Many women believed that Islam allowed only married women to use contraceptives because unmarried women are expected to practice celibacy and their religion advocates for a two-parent household. As a result, unmarried women with children found themselves often ostracised from their community. The study recommends a comprehensive sexual education regime to address the challenges associated with non-marital fertility. (Afr J Reprod Health 2022; 26[7]: 49-58).

Characteristics of HIV/AIDS cases with non-marital or non-commercial heterosexual transmission in Hangzhou / 预防医学

Objective @#To analyze the characteristics of HIV/AIDS cases with non-marital or non-commercial heterosexual transmission in Hangzhou, and the influencing factors for new infection and local infection, so as to provide the evidence for AIDS prevention and control.@*Methods @#From 2017 to 2019, the newly reported HIV/AIDS cases with non-marital or non-commercial heterosexual transmission in Hangzhou were recruited, and their demographic information, previous sexual behaviors and history of HIV testing were collected in the questionnaire survey. The multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors for new infections and local infections. @*Results @#A total of 522 participants from 668 newly reported HIV/AIDS cases with non-marital or non-commercial heterosexual transmission in Hangzhou during this period were surveyed．Among 522 cases, 263 ( 50.38% ) were aged 40 years or above, 218 ( 41.76% ) were married, 326 ( 62.45% ) had an educational level of junior high school or below, and 340 ( 65.13% ) were not local. Among 504 cases whose infection time could be determined, 72 ( 14.29% ) were newly infected within one year; age of 40 years below ( OR=4.148, 95%CI: 1.956-8.795 ), history of HIV testing ( OR=2.049, 95%CI: 1.163-3.609 ) and history of sexually transmitted diseases ( OR=2.169, 95%CI: 1.076-4.374 ) were risk factors for new infection. Among 454 cases whose infection location could be determined, 267 ( 58.81% ) were infected in Hangzhou; educational level of high school or below ( OR=2.538, 95%CI: 1.252-5.145 ) , Hangzhou residence ( OR=7.835, 95%CI: 4.227-14.353 ), living in Hangzhou for a year or over ( OR=18.960, 95%CI: 8.755-41.060 ) and monthly income of 3 000 yuan or over ( OR=2.630, 95%CI: 1.546-4.474 ) were risk factors for local infection. @*Conclusions @#The HIV/AIDS cases with non-marital or non-commercial heterosexual transmission in Hangzhou are mainly floating population and less educated. The newly infected cases are more likely to be young and middle-aged people and patients with sexually transmitted diseases, the locally infected cases are more likely to be people with permanent residence, less educated and high income.

Effect of comprehensive AIDS intervention among men aged 50 or over who had non-marital sexual behavior / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective@#To evaluate the effectiveness of AIDS intervention programs on men aged 50 or over and having had non-marital sexual behavior.@*Methods@#A community-based intervention/experimental and based on individual level study was adopted. Stratified sampling method was used. 12 townships/streets in Fuyang district of Hangzhou were identified as intervention or control group (six research sites each). All of the subjects in the township (street) were included. The inclusion criteria of study objects would include men aged 50 or older who reported having unmarried sex in the last year. Estimated sample size was 290, with each 145 in the intervention group and the control group. All the intervention group participants were provided with a total of 4 intervention-related items (knowledge and education on AIDS prevention, information radiation and behavioral change, broadcast expert lectures), every 3 months, for 12 month, the main evaluation indicators would include: incidence of non-marital sex and commercial sex in the last year, condom use when having non-marital sex in the last episode.@*Results@#A total of 312 subjects were recruited. 300 of them completed the baseline study while 284 of them completed the follow-up survey. Among the subjects who had undergone the baseline study, the average age was (65.58±7.89), 71.33% were married or cohabiting with someone, 52.00% having had primary school education. After the implementation of intervention programs, the incidence of non-marital sex dropped to 59.42% (82/138) and the incidence of commercial sex dropped from 79.73% (118/148) to 55.07% (76/138). Condom use rate in the last non-marital sexual contact increased from 19.59% (29/148) to 51.22% (42/82). In the control group, the incidence of non-marital sex in the year before dropped to 74.66% (109/146) and the incidence of commercial sex dropped from 91.45% (139/152) to 72.60% (106/146). Rates of condom use during the last non-marital sexual contact dropped from 32.89% (50/152) to 31.19% (34/109). Statistically, there were significant differences appeared between the two groups on the incidence of non-marital sex in the past year (χ2=7.48, P=0.008), the incidence of commercial sex in the last year (χ2=9.47, P=0.003) and the rate of condom use in the last sex experience (χ2=7.83, P=0.007).@*Conclusions@#Results from this intervention study showed that: in the intervention group, both the incidence rates of non-marital or commercial sex had reduced, together with the increase of condom use in non-marital sex in the last sexual experience. Intervention strategies that involving knowledge and education on AIDS prevention, information radiation and behavioral change, broadcasting lectures by experts etc. were all proved effective.

Characteristics of newly reported HIV/AIDS cases with non-marital but non-commercial heterosexual transmission in Hangzhou, 2015-2017 / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective To describe the characteristics of newly reported HIV/AIDS cases via non-marital or non-commercial heterosexual transmission and to find out the relative factors in Hangzhou,from 2015 to 2017.Methods Data were collected through the national HIV/AIDS comprehensive control and prevention data system.Study subjects would include those reported HIV/AIDS cases who were residents of Hangzhou and were infected via non-marital heterosexual transmission,between January 1,2015 and December 31,2017.Demographic characteristics and behavioral information were collected.x2 test was used to compare different characteristics of the non-married heterosexual transmission subjects.Logistic regression was used to assess factors that associated with non-marital but non-commercial HIV heterosexual transmission with SPSS.20 software used to analyze statistically.Results Non-marital HIV heterosexual transmission accounted for 38.03％ (1 393/3 663) of the total new reported HIV/AIDS cases in 2015-2017.Out of the 1 393 HIV/AIDS cases,those infected through non-marital but non-commercial heterosexual transmission accounted for 50.83％ (708/1 393),and those through non-martial commercial transmission was accounted for 49.17％ (685/1 393).Male to female ratio was 3.51 ∶ 1 (1 084/309).Male HIV cases reported that their major way of infection was via non-marital commercial transmission (670/1 084,61.81％),while female patients reported the way was via non-marital non-commercial (294/309,95.1％).Results from multivariate logistic analysis showed that the related risk factors and ORs for non-marital but non-commercial transmission appeared as:female (aOR=48.25,95％ CI:26.94-88.44),＜30 year olds (aOR=2.43,95％CI:1.3 1-4.5 1),30-39 year olds (aOR=1.92,95％CI:1.11-3.33),40-49 year olds (aOR=1.80,95％ CI:1.08-3.00),married or unmarried (vs.divorced or widowed,aOR=1.57,95％CI:1.10-2.24;aOR=1.78,95％CI:1.15-2.78),high school and above of education level (vs.primary school and under of education level,aOR=1.82,95％ CI:1.18-2.80),administrative officers or employee (vs.farmers,aOR=2.03,95％ CI:1.04-l.91).Number of non-marital partners less than 5 (vs.number of non-marital partners more than 5,aOR=10.65,95％CI:6.41-17.42).Conclusions HIV/AIDS cases with non-marital heterosexual transmission accounted for considerable proportion regarding the HIV transmission in Hangzhou from 2015 to 2017.Differences were found in the following factors as non-marital and non-commercial heterosexual transmission with diverse gender,age,marital status,educational level and occupation among of the HIV/AIDS patients.

Characteristics of newly reported HIV/AIDS cases with non-marital but non-commercial heterosexual transmission in Hangzhou, 2015-2017 / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective To describe the characteristics of newly reported HIV/AIDS cases via non-marital or non-commercial heterosexual transmission and to find out the relative factors in Hangzhou,from 2015 to 2017.Methods Data were collected through the national HIV/AIDS comprehensive control and prevention data system.Study subjects would include those reported HIV/AIDS cases who were residents of Hangzhou and were infected via non-marital heterosexual transmission,between January 1,2015 and December 31,2017.Demographic characteristics and behavioral information were collected.x2 test was used to compare different characteristics of the non-married heterosexual transmission subjects.Logistic regression was used to assess factors that associated with non-marital but non-commercial HIV heterosexual transmission with SPSS.20 software used to analyze statistically.Results Non-marital HIV heterosexual transmission accounted for 38.03％ (1 393/3 663) of the total new reported HIV/AIDS cases in 2015-2017.Out of the 1 393 HIV/AIDS cases,those infected through non-marital but non-commercial heterosexual transmission accounted for 50.83％ (708/1 393),and those through non-martial commercial transmission was accounted for 49.17％ (685/1 393).Male to female ratio was 3.51 ∶ 1 (1 084/309).Male HIV cases reported that their major way of infection was via non-marital commercial transmission (670/1 084,61.81％),while female patients reported the way was via non-marital non-commercial (294/309,95.1％).Results from multivariate logistic analysis showed that the related risk factors and ORs for non-marital but non-commercial transmission appeared as:female (aOR=48.25,95％ CI:26.94-88.44),＜30 year olds (aOR=2.43,95％CI:1.3 1-4.5 1),30-39 year olds (aOR=1.92,95％CI:1.11-3.33),40-49 year olds (aOR=1.80,95％ CI:1.08-3.00),married or unmarried (vs.divorced or widowed,aOR=1.57,95％CI:1.10-2.24;aOR=1.78,95％CI:1.15-2.78),high school and above of education level (vs.primary school and under of education level,aOR=1.82,95％ CI:1.18-2.80),administrative officers or employee (vs.farmers,aOR=2.03,95％ CI:1.04-l.91).Number of non-marital partners less than 5 (vs.number of non-marital partners more than 5,aOR=10.65,95％CI:6.41-17.42).Conclusions HIV/AIDS cases with non-marital heterosexual transmission accounted for considerable proportion regarding the HIV transmission in Hangzhou from 2015 to 2017.Differences were found in the following factors as non-marital and non-commercial heterosexual transmission with diverse gender,age,marital status,educational level and occupation among of the HIV/AIDS patients.

Characteristics of non-marital and non-commercial heterosexual transmission of HIV infection in Miao-Dong Autonomous prefecture of Qiandongnan / 中华预防医学杂志

Objective@#The goal of this research was to understand the demographic distribution and related factors of non-marital and non-commercial heterosexual transmission (non-commercial transmission) for HIV/AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).@*Methods@#Data related to HIV/AIDS infected by non-marital heterosexual transmission and whose present address was in Qian Dongnan, were collected from Information System on the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control. Information included demographic characteristics, the members of non-marital sex partners, transmission path, detection source, CD4+T lymphocyte level, et al. cases belong to homosexual history, injective drug use or non-classified non-marital heterosexuality transmission were excluded, totally collect HIV/AIDS 919 cases. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to analyze potential factors associated with non-marital and non-commercial heterosexual transmission. In addition, in March and June 2017, using a convenience sampling, we conducted one-to-one interviews among 10 HIV/AIDS who were infected by non-marital heterosexuality and had non-marital and non-commercial heterosexual experience in Kaili Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The content of the interview included basic information, sexual orientation, the main place of making friends and sexual behavior, attitude to commercial heterosexuality and non-martial and non-commercial heterosexuality and so on.@*Results@#Out of the 919 cases, 645 (70.2%) were male, the proportion of non-commercial transmission was 55.06% (506). The proportion of female HIV/AIDS with non-commercial transmission was 84.7% (232), which was higher than male (42.5%(274)) (χ2=138.35, P<0.001). The proportion of Han HIV/AIDS with non-commercial transmission was 61.5% (275), which was higher than other religion (52.2%(412)) (χ2=6.32, P=0.012). The proportion of HIV/AIDS with non-commercial transmission who had 0-5 non-marital sexual partners was 58.8% (498), which was higher than who had>5 non-marital sexual partners (11.1%(8)) (χ2=61.10, P<0.001). The proportion of HIV/AIDS with non-commercial transmission who lived mobile was 72.9% (94), which was higher than who lived fixedly (52.2%(412)) (χ2=19.34, P<0.001). Qualitative interviews results revealed that the age of the respondents were 22-69. Respondents whose ages are in 22-34 were more likely to use mobile phone (4/10) and respondents whose ages are in 35-69 were less likely to look partners through party and the context of working.@*Conclusion@#The proportion of cases being infected by non-marital and non-commercial heterosexual transmission in Qian dongnan was higher than general national levels. The characteristics of sex, marriage status, migration, vocation, the members of non-marital sex partners were significant differed between commercial heterosexual transmission and non-marital and non-commercial heterosexual transmission.