An analysis of the attitudes and perceptions of church leaders towards their perceived leadership roles in HIV prevention in the Matabeleland Province of Zimbabwe

• Main Author: Mzezewa, Venah
• Other Authors: Koen, S. E.
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: Attitude; Clergy; Church leaders; Doctrine; Evangelical Lutheran Church; HIV and AIDS; HIV prevention; Leadership roles; Perception; Theory of Reasoned Action; 259.419697920096891; HIV-positive persons > Pastoral counseling of > Zimbabwe > Matabeleland > Case studies; AIDS (Disease) > Pastoral counseling of > Zimbabwe > Matabeleland > Case studies; Church work with the sick > Zimbabwe > Matabeleland > Case studies; Lutheran Church > Zimbabwe > Matabeleland > Clergy > Attitudes > Case studies; HIV infections > Zimbabwe > Matabeleland > Prevention > Case studies; AIDS (Disease) > Zimbabwe > Matabeleland > Prevention > Case studies; Leadership > Religious aspects > Lutheran Church > Zimbabwe > Matabeleland > Case studies
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10500/19241

This study investigated the attitudes of church leaders towards their perceived leadership roles in HIV prevention, using a sample of 85 clergy and lay leaders. Working from the premise that churches concentrate on care and support instead of HIV prevention, data were collected from Lutheran church leaders in Zimbabwe, using a questionnaire based on the constructs of the theory of reasoned action. The findings of this study suggest that the church is a potential source for HIV prevention. However, the capability to lead in HIV prevention was limited by barriers due to self-efficacy and cultural constraints, differences between communicator and audience, experiences and perceptions of the communicator and to some extent, institutional constraints. Programmers should focus on removing the barriers faced by the church leaders to improve their ability to lead in HIV prevention and strengthen prevention efforts. === Sociology === M.A. (Social Behaviour Studies in HIV/AIDS)