AEGiS-06IAC: An assessment of AIDS knowledge, risk perception and behavior among public health students in South Sulawesi, Indonesia.

6th International AIDS Conference

San Francisco, California, USA — June 20-23, 1990

An assessment of AIDS knowledge, risk perception and behavior among public health students in South Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Int Conf AIDS 1990 Jun 20-23; 6:342 (abstract no. Th.D.867)
Bustan M, Sy F, Selassie AW, Noer NN; Hasanuddin University, Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, Indonesia

OBJECTIVE: To determine knowledge, risk perception and risk prevention behavior concerning AIDS among public health students in South Sulawesi, Indonesia.

METHODS: Questionnaire was administered in summer of 1989 to 154 public health students at Hasanuddin University. Data collected included demographic information, AIDS knowledge, risk perception, and knowledge of risk prevention behavior. Frequency and chi-square test were used in the data analysis.

RESULTS: 121 students completed the questionnaire with a response rate of 78.6%. 99.2% students knew the main modes of HIV transmission. 37.2% did not know the lethality of AIDS. 68.6% thought that it can be cured. Moreover, 52% perceived that HIV could be transmitted through causal contact such as kissing, donating blood, and by swimming pool. 64.4% believed that condom is effective in preventing HIV transmission. 87% used condom to prevent pregnancy.

CONCLUSION: Although Indonesia has a very low incidence of HIV infection, general knowledge about the main modes of HIV transmission is high. However, a significant number thought it could be acquired through casual contact. More education efforts should be aimed at correcting these misconceptions.

Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Students, Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Risk-Taking, HIV Infections, Condoms, Universities, Questionnaires, Indonesia, Female, Pregnancy, prevention & control, nursing, transmission, ICA6

900620
ThD867