Black South African Farm Workers' Beliefs About HIV

Black South African farm workers' context of an isolated lifestyle and lack of education and resources might lead to unique beliefs that influence their understanding and behavior regarding HIV infection. An exploration and description of these beliefs can inform suggestions for a belief-sensitive approach for HIV-prevention programs. A participative rural appraisal research method was implemented, following a qualitative, explorative, and descriptive approach. A culturally sensitive mode of interviewing, namely lekgotla, was used as a strategy to collect data. The results indicated that Black South African farm workers have specific beliefs about HIV. Most of the beliefs protect them from being infected, but some marginal beliefs can put them at risk of being infected. Clinical considerations, which health care professionals can incorporate in HIV-prevention programs, were formulated based on the results, relevant literature, and conclusions.