Assessment of knowledge, attitudes and practice of University of Venda male students regarding male circumcision, Limpopo Province

Abstract

Male circumcision is being promoted in University of Venda presently due to the South African recent awareness that it is a method of preventing the transmission of the Human Immunodeficiency virus. However, for effective implementation, it is necessary that the students believe in the procedure and have a positive attitude towards the procedure. Purpose of study The objective of the study was to assess the University of Venda male student knowledge and perception regarding male circumcision. Methodology Method to achieve this was a cross sectional quantitative study using anonymous questionnaire among the male students in university of Venda after obtaining their consent. Data was captured and analyzed using SPSS. Result A total of 285 male students participated in the study. Most of them (77.2%) were undergraduate below 30years of age (91.2%) while others were post graduate (22.8%). Majority of them are Christians (97.9%), singles (85.9%) and married (12.6%).Result obtained showed that most of the respondent (87.9%) are circumcised, only a minority few (12.1%) are not circumcised. As regards the meaning of male circumcision (75.2%) said that male circumcision is the complete removal of theforeskin. Majority of the respondents (86.6%) responded that circumcision is better than uncircumcision, showing a relatively good knowledge of benefits of male circumcision, one-third of the respondent (39.9% ,37.8%) showed a good knowledge regarding the merits of male circumcision as per reducing the rate of STIs and the risk of HIV/AIDS. Conclusion Conclusively,most of the University of Venda students have a good knowledge of male circumcision, only a few are not knowledgeable about male circumcision. Also a positive attitude was shownon male circumcision with only a few students showing a negative attitude.While majority of the respondents practice male circumcision.They also encourage their siblings to do so. Recommendations The study made a number of recommendations that were intended to improve knowledge, attitude and practice of male circumcision, it calls for long campaign to reach more uncircumcised Univen students in order to scale up male circumcision and train more personnel to administer the ritual safely and under more hygienic conditions.