Paper short abstract:

The paper reports on knowledge of and attitudes towards expressed HIV/AIDS among nomadic pastoralists in Somalia based on the findings of a nationally representative omnibus sample survey of pastoralist households carried out in April and June 2011. Comparing with teh Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey in 2006, there had been no improvement.

Paper long abstract:

The paper reports on knowledge of and attitudes expressed towards HIV/AIDS among nomadic pastoralists in six different regions in Somalia based on the findings of a nationally representative omnibus sample survey of pastoralist households carried out in April and June 2011; and compares these results with those on the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey carried out among the sedentary population in 2006.

This survey found 80% of all respondents had heard of HIV/AIDS. Overall 62% agreed that HIV could be contracted through sexual liaisons. Of those who agreed, 40% said that they knew how to protect themselves (e.g. condoms), i.e. 25% of all respondents. This compares with 15% in MICS 2006 survey who knew about condoms and the role they could play in preventing transmission of HIV. According to MICS 2006, 34% of women know that a healthy-looking person can have the AIDS virus; this survey found the same percentage (33%). Many women in 2006 erroneously believe that AIDS can be transmitted by supernatural means, mosquito bites and by sharing food; and this was still true in 2011.

Overall 86% of respondents knew that HIV/AIDS could be transmitted from mother to baby. Of those, 83% also agreed that the virus could be transmitted during pregnancy, 77% that the virus could be transmitted during delivery and 85% that the virus could be transmitted during breastfeeding. These percentages were about the same as in the 2006 MICS survey.

Comparing with the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey in 2006, there had been very little improvement.