The socio-cultural contexts of sexually transmitted diseases in South Africa: implications for health education programmes

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are widespread in South Africa and contribute to the growing HIV epidemic. As an important step in curtailing the spread of STDs, this study explores STD patients' illness representations within its socio-cultural context, particularly gender relationships. In-depth interviews were conducted with Xhosa- and Zulu-speaking patients in clinics in Cape Town, Western Cape (N = 67) and in rural areas of Kabokweni, Mpumalanga (N = 21) The findings suggest that STD patients' illness representations are reflections of their socio-cultural understanding of disease and of culturally defined gender relations. This, in turn, impacts on their general perceptions of the cause of STDs, their perceptions of the risk of contracting STDs, them entering and using formal and traditional medical treatment and on their ideas of prevention. Thus, healthy behaviours need to be facilitated through multiple educational strategies focusing on an improved understanding of the cause of the STD in its context of gender relations, the development of interpersonal and technical skills, as well as focusing on cues for action.