AEGiS-06IAC: A study of knowledge and attitudes of college students.

6th International AIDS Conference


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

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A study of knowledge and attitudes of college students.

Int Conf AIDS 1990 Jun 20-23; 6:345 (abstract no. Th.D.876)
Hiramani AB; Central Health Education Bureau (Dte.G.H.S.), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi, India

OBJECTIVES: (1) To examine the extent of knowledge of the college students about AIDS. (2) To understand students' attitudes towards preventive measures launched by the Government.

METHODS: All 128 students of graduate class of Physical Education at Aurangabad in Maharashtra State, India were covered. The attitudes of the students were assessed through their knowledge and views on government programmes on AIDS. A questionnaire was administered to them in the class-room.

RESULTS: A majority of students were unmarried; hostellers and had rural background migrated to this city for study purpose. Nine out of ten had the habit of reading newspapers but only 43% read it daily. 82% used to watch television, 14% watched it daily. Both radio listeners and TV viewers were more interested in entertainment rather than health programmes. Of the 128, 89 (69.5%) reported to have heard of AIDS; and 67.4% through newspapers. Barring 7.4%, others did not know the full expanded form of AIDS. Causes of AIDS were known only to 10, 38% narrated a variety of causes from sexual intercourse, homosexuality, blood transfusion to kissing etc. Symptoms of AIDS were known only to 6 out of 89 students. Those who knew some mode of transmission, 34% reported body contact, 24% infected blood, and 75% sexual contact. Most of them (85.4%) were not able to identify the educational programmes and preventive measures launched by the government. About 45% viewed AIDS as the most serious disease in the country. Their views on the question relating to a mandatory blood test for HIV of visiting foreigners indicated that 92.7% were in favour, believing that AIDS is originated in foreign countries.

CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate that the students of even graduate level need the well-organised specifically targeted health education programmes through popular media like TV, Radio.

Keywords: AEGIS, Students, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Attitude, Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, HIV Infections, Health Education, Knowledge, Questionnaires, HIV-1, HIV, India, Adult, Human, ICA6KWDaegis,students,acquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome,attitude,knowledge,attitudes,practice,hivinfections,healtheducation,knowledge,questionnaires,hiv-1,hiv,india,adult,human,ica6

900620
ThD876

Copyright © 1990 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.