Gender, Religious Involvement, and HIV/AIDS Views in Mozambique

Victor Agadjanian, Arizona State University

Using survey and semi-structural interview data collected in 2003 among members of randomly selected religious congregations in Mozambique this study analyzes how gender differences in HIV/AIDS views and preventive behavior are mediated through membership and participation in different types of religious institutions. Logistic regression is employed to examine the effects of gender and the interaction between gender and type of denomination--"mainline" or "indigenous"--on the sources and type of HIV/AIDS-related information that individuals receive, the social circles in which they exchange and negotiate this information, their knowledge and perceptions of risks and prevention, and the prevention measures they favor. The statistical analysis detects both significant overall gender differences and variations in these differences across the two types of denominations. The semi-structural data further underscore the importance of how gender ideology is shaped in different religious environments. The paper discusses implications of the findings for both research and policy.