Browsing by Author "Ntozi, James P. M."

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    The effect of the AIDS epidemic on widowhood in Northern Uganda
    (The continuing HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa, 1999) Ntozi, James P. M.; Ahimbisibwe, Fred E.; Ayiga, Natal; Odwee, Jonathan O.; Okurut, Francis N.
    This paper uses data from a survey in northern Uganda to examine the situation of widowers and widows in the era of AIDS. A high level of widowhood was observed, almost a third being caused by AIDS. Widowhood was more prevalent among women than men. More than one-third of the widows and widowers had remarried or acquired new sexual partners mainly for procreation. Widows also remarried or acquired new sexual partners because they looked healthy. However, the husbands of more than one-third of them had died of AIDS. There were few movements of widowers and widows due to AIDS. Those who had migrated had more children. Other determinants of migration of widows and widowers were age, district of origin and having had children. The AIDS epidemic has been noted as a cause of the current high level of widowhood in Africa (Palloni, Lee and Lamas 1990). It is therefore likely that many of the widowed are HIV infected and will spread AIDS through sexual networking with other groups (Nunn 1989; Maiga et al. 1993; Okeyo and Allen 1994; Taverne 1996). Sexual networking of the widowed may be through widow inheritance, remarriage, casual sexual partners or prostitution. The practice is common among the widowed for social, cultural and economic reasons (Butlerys et al. 1994).
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    Has the HIV/AIDS epidemic changed sexual behaviour of high risk groups in Uganda?
    (African health sciences, 2003) Ntozi, James P. M.; Mulindwa, Innocent N.; Ahimbisibwe, Fred; Ayiga, Natal; Odwee, Jonathan
    Uganda, was the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to reverse its HIV/AIDS epidemic. Long distance drivers, prostitutes and barmaids have been identified as the groups that engage in risky sex, which promotes HIV transmission in Uganda and other countries across the continent. This paper investigates whether and why there were changes of sexual behaviour and practices among five risky groups in Uganda as a consequence of HIV/AIDS epidemic. Methodology The paper is based on data generated from a survey on ‘resistance to sexual behaviour change in the African AIDS epidemic’, which was conducted in the districts of Kabale, Kampala and Lira in 1999. For purposes of this paper, only data from the focus group discussions with high-risk groups have been analysed. These include commercial sex workers, street children, long haul truck drivers, bar maids and adolescents in three towns of Uganda (Kabale, Kampala, Lira). Results indicate that despite the HIV/AIDS epidemic, these groups had only changed their sexual behaviour a little, and they reported to be continuing with multiple sexual partners for a variety of reasons. The adolescents and street children were under peer pressure and a lot of sexual urge; commercial sex workers and bar maids attributed their risky behaviour to the need to survive due to the existing poverty; and the truck drivers reflected on the need for female company to reduce their stress while on the long lonely travels across Africa. Nevertheless, they are all aware and perceive people with multiple sexual partners as being highly vulnerable to contracting HIV and they all reported to have adopted condom use as an HIV preventive strategy. They also observed that married people were at a high risk of contracting HIV due to non-use of condoms in marital relationships and unfaithfulness of spouses. Conclusions Females engage in high-risk sexual relations as a means of economic survival, and perceive their acts as a strategy to improve their socio-economic well being. On the contrary, men in these high-risk categories do such acts out of pleasure and as avenues for attaining fulfilled sexual lives. The search for money among women and the constant desire for men to have sexual pleasure, which are greatly facilitated by their financial status are the forces behind reckless sexual behaviour among high-risk groups.
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    Has Uganda experienced any stalled fertility transitions? Reflecting on the last four decades (1973–2011)
    (Fertility Research and Practice, 2015) Kabagenyi, Allen; Reid, Alice; Rutaremwa, Gideon; Atuyambe, Lynn M.; Ntozi, James P. M.
    Persistent high fertility is associated with mother and child mortality. While most regions in the world have experienced declines in fertility rates, there are conflicting views as to whether Uganda has entered a period of fertility transition. There are limited data available that explicitly detail the fertility trends and patterns in Uganda over the last four decades, from 1973 to 2011. Total fertility rate (TFR) is number of live births that a woman would have throughout her reproductive years if she were subject to the prevailing age specific fertility patterns. The current TFR for Uganda stands at 6.2 children born per woman, which is one of the highest in the region. This study therefore sought to examine whether there has been a fertility stall in Uganda using all existing Demographic Health Survey data, to provide estimates for the current fertility levels and trends in Uganda, and finally to examine the demographic and socioeconomic factors responsible for fertility levels in Uganda. This is a secondary analysis of data from five consecutive Ugandan Demographic Health Surveys (UDHS); 1988/1989, 1995, 2000/2001, 2006 and 2011. Using pooled data to estimate for fertility levels, patterns and trends, we applied a recently developed fertility estimation approach. A Poisson regression model was also used to analyze fertility differentials over the study period. Results: Over the studied period, fertility trends and levels fluctuated from highs of 8.8 to lows of 5.7, with no specific lag over the study period. These findings suggest Uganda is at the pre-transitional stage, with indications of imminent fertility rate reductions in forthcoming years. Marital status remained a strong predictor for number of children born, even after controlling for other variables. Conclusions: This study suggests there is no evidence of a fertility stall in Uganda, but demonstrates an onset of fertility transition in the country. If this trend continues, Uganda will experience a low fertility rate in the future—a finding pertinent for policy makers, especially as the continent and the country focus on harnessing the demographic dividend.
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    Spousal sexual violence, sexual behavior and sexually transmitted infections among ever-married women in Uganda
    (African Population Studies, 2010) Ojiambo Wandera, Stephen; Ntozi, James P. M.; Kwagala, Betty
    Despite the increasing recognition of the significance of spousal sexual violence in developing countries, evidence on its consequences for reproductive health remains limited. The aim of the paper was to examine the relationship between spousal sexual violence (SSV) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) using a sample of 1749 ever-married women, from the 2006 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey. Pearson Chi-square tests and binary logistic regressions were used to investigate associations between SSV, STIs and selected reproductive health outcomes. From the analyses, 25% and 15% of ever-married women experienced SSV and reported STIs, respectively in the last 12 months. Women who experienced SSV were twice more likely to have had STIs in the last 12 months compared to those who did not. SSV is an important social and public health problem having implications on women's reproductive health and interventions to improve it should directly address the issue of spousal sexual violence.