AEGiS-07IAC: Knowledge and beliefs about AIDS among high school students in two health zones in the Ubangi area of Zaire.

7th International AIDS Conference


Florence, Italy — June 16-21, 1991

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Knowledge and beliefs about AIDS among high school students in two health zones in the Ubangi area of Zaire.

Int Conf AIDS 1991 Jun 16-21; 7:445 (abstract no. W.D.4230)
Duale S, Vangu N, Bauge N, Duale L, Munkatu M; Projet SANRU, Kinshasa

OBJECTIVE: To assess basic knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about AIDS in high school students in northeastern Zaire.

METHODS: Multiple choice questionnaires were administered anonymously to 1000 students from 4 schools in a rural health zone (Karawa, HIV-1 seroprevalence in pregnant women 3-4% 1989) and 4 in semi-urban health zone (Gemena). A content analysis was performed.

RESULTS: 918 out of 1000 (91.8%) questionnaires were available for analysis. The study population consisted of 768 (85.4%) males and 136 females (14.6%); mean age 20 yrs. 90.7% of respondents reported having had at least one sexual experience and 98.7% had heard about AIDS. TABULAR DATA, SEE ABSTRACT VOLUME.

CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge about AIDS was fairly good. Inconsistency in knowledge of sexual vs. other modes of transmission as well as the inaccurate beliefs about prevention (prostitutes, antibiotics) suggests an element of denial. The development and implementation of appropriate education and intervention strategies in these sexually active high school students is urgently needed.

Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Culture, Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Health Education, Prostitution, Students, HIV Seroprevalence, Knowledge, Health, Questionnaires, School Health Services, Data Collection, Health Behavior, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Human, Male, Female, Pregnancy, ICA7
910616
WD4230

Copyright © 1991 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.