Unmasking Remarriage Practices of Surviving Spouses in the Midst of the HIV/AIDS Pandemic

Abstract

As the HIV/AIDS pandemic continues to wreak havoc in Zimbabwean communities, there is a noticeable trend of surviving spouses remarrying following the demise of their partners. This qualitative study, located in the interpretive paradigm, sought to establish remarrying partners’ views on causes for remarriages and the extent to which they took precautionary measures to prevent infection and re-infection. A purposive sample of 2 males and 3 females participated in the study. Data were collected through phenomenological interviews with participants. Content analysis was used to analyse data. The study established that there were social, cultural and economic reasons that lead to remarriages of HIV positive surviving spouses. Participants did not disclose their status to their new partners and precautionary measures were not taking as some couples had children out of the new marriages. The study concludes that HIV/AIDS chances for infections were enhanced and promoted in remarriages and recommends that community programmes on HIV/AIDS awareness should be put in place to educate people on ways of HIV/AIDS transmission and ways to curb the rise of new infections.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n16p601