Socio-cultural Factors and the Transmission of HIV/AIDS in Malakand Division: A Qualitative Analysis

The epidemic of HIV/AIDS has devastating impacts on many societal features of both urban and rural communities. Cultural factors have been played a significant role in human decision making and behavior around health. In simple terms, culture basically refers to the traditions and customs upheld by societies and communities because of their belief systems and values, which guide their decisions and shape their thinking, actions, attitudes and behaviors. The role of culture has been of particular significance both in the transmission of HIV/AIDS. Certain cultural practices such as: gender inequalities; unequal access to health care services; injectable drug users; unequal access to economic resources and opportunities; and male dominancy contribute to the spread of HIV/AIDS. The current study aims to investigate how various cultural factors contribute in the transmission of HIV/AIDS. The study was conducted in Malakand Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, while using a qualitative approach. Further, primary data was collected from 15 respondents through in-depth interview (using interview guide) while the selection of the sample was made through non-probability sampling using purposive sampling techniques. The collected information was qualitatively analyzed and a thematic discussion has been made for better understanding of the issue. The researchers also suggests some remedies.