Societal Constructions of Multiple Concurrent Partnerships and its Implications on the Efficacy of HIV Communication Campaigns in Homabay County, Kenya

Abstract

This paper explores how multiple concurrent partnerships is socially constructed in Homabay County and whether communication campaigns have addressed the contextual factors driving this practice. Twelve focus group discussions were conducted with 116 respondents that included married men and women, as well as male and female youth. Two in-depth interviews were also conducted with managers of two communication campaigns. The research explored how the community made sense of multiple concurrent partnerships and the design,implementation, and efficacy of the attendant communication campaigns. Study findings show that multiple concurrent partnerships was a normative practice that is mainly driven by financial needs, sexual satisfaction, emotional neglect, cultural practices, gender norms, revenge, escapism, separation from spouses, and the search for marriage partners. The study further established that the communication campaigns failed to address these factors underpinning multiple concurrent partnerships. This study indicates the need for communication campaigns to prioritize factors that contribute to multiple concurrent partnerships through increased community dialogue in order to be more efficacious.