The AIDS-related activities of religious leaders in Malawi

Abstract

The AIDS-related activities of religious leaders in Africa extend far beyond preaching about sexual mortality. This study aims to quantify the involvement of religious leaders in the fight against AIDS and to identify key predictors of the types of prevention strategies they promote. Using data from a random sample of Christian and Muslim leaders in Malawi, I use logistic regression to predict six types of AIDS activities, which correspond to three distinct types: formal messages (i.e., preaching), pragmatic interventions (monitoring the sexual behaviour of members and advising divorce to avoid infection) and the promotion of biomedical prevention strategies (promoting condom use and testing for HIV). Preaching about AIDS is the most common prevention activity and promoting condom use is the least; sizable proportions of clergy promote testing and engage in pragmatic interventions. Denominational patterns in the type of engagement are weak and inconsistent. However, inquiries into the motivation for leaders' activities show that discussions with members about AIDS are the most consistent predictor, suggesting that religious leaders' engagement with HIV prevention is primarily a demand-driven phenomenon.

Keywords:

• HIV/AIDS
• sub-Saharan Africa
• religion
• prevention
• sexual behaviour

Acknowledgements

Funding for this research was provided by NIH/NICHD: Religious Organisations, Local Norms and HIV in Africa, RO1-HD050142-01. The author wishes to thank Susan Watkins, Gregory Collins, Abdul Chilungo, Sara Yeatman, Victor Agadjanian and the anonymous reviewers at Global Public Health for their critical feedback on earlier drafts of this paper.