A framework to facilitate the integration of HIV/AIDS content into university curricula

Abstract

Background: South Africa continues to struggle with the high prevalence of Human Immunedeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune deficiency Syndrome. Young people of the university going age are the most affected by this disease. The higher education sector, particularly teachers, are well placed to mitigate this pandemic through teaching and learning. Despite the fact, that a lot has been written on the need to integrate HIV/AIDS content into curricula very few institutions of higher learning are heeding the call mainly due to lack of guidance on how to integrate HIV/AIDS content. Aim:The aim of the study was to develop a framework that facilitate integration of HIV/AIDS content into university curricula. Methods: This cross-sectional study employed quantitative methodology and was conducted in two phases : Data was collected using different methods such as cross sectional surveys, content analysis and systematic reviews. For cross sectional surveys the target population included teachers and students and they were selected using systematic and purposive sampling respectively. The study setting was University of Venda. Data were analysed using SPSS, version 23. Multiple logistic regression and chi-square tests (χ2) were employed to determine the associations. Results: The thesis comprises five interdependent studies. Study one: A systematic review of peer-reviewed journals and grey literature of HIV/AIDS programmes in higher education was conducted. It was found that HIV/AIDS content was integrated mainly into existing , compulsory, undergraduate modules, health sciences disciplines focused on basic facts about HIV/AIDS. The HIV/AIDS content was taught using classroom based teaching strategies. Study two: A quantitative content analysis, to gauge the extent of HIV/AIDS integration into the curricula in various departments at Univen was conducted. The results of this study suggest that HIV/AIDS content was limited as only 68 modules/courses out of 1979 had HIV/AIDS content in different disciplines across all eight schools at the university. Study three: A survey was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of students towards learning about HIV/AIDS content among 340 students . The study found out that majority of the students possessed high knowledge about HIV/AIDS, though they had misconceptions about HIV transmission routes. Further they supported the introduction of formal teaching and learning about HIV/AIDS in their disciplines and very few students were taught about HIV/AIDS in their studies. Study four: A survey was conducted to assess knowledge, attitudes and practices of teachers towards teaching and learning of HIV/AIDS content in the curriculum among 240 teachers . The results showed that the majority of teachers were knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS , had positive attitudes towards the teaching and learning of HIV/AIDS content in the curriculum and very few taught about HIV/AIDS. Study five: Data from the study findings, literature and analysis of the curriculum were integrated within Information ,Motivation and Behaviour Model to develop the proposed framework for integrating HIV/AIDS content. Conclusion: The purpose of the study was to develop a framework that facilitates the integration of HIV/AIDS content into the undergraduate curriculum. The proposed framework in this study may assist HEIs, faculties and teachers to integrate HIV/AIDS content formally into their curriculum and ensure that various academic departments can integrate HIV/AIDS-related issues into the undergraduate curricula. The framework outlines HIV/AIDS competencies for different levels of study in various disciplines and its adoption may assist HEIs in producing graduates who can survive and work in a world ravaged by HIV/AIDS. In order to implement the proposed framework for integration of HIV/AIDS content into undergraduate curricula, recommendations were made.