11th International AIDS Conference Vancouver, British Columbia — July 7-12, 1996

Int Conf AIDS 1996 Jul 7-12; 11:34 (abstract no. LB.C.6061)
Azeze B, Yohannes G, Alemu S, Kidan GK, Isheak A, Endeshaw S; Gondar College of Medical Sciences, Ethiopia. Fax: 11-14-79.

OBJECTIVE: This study explores the determinant factor, AIDS knowledge, for rural high school involvement in AIDS prevention activities at a rural community where mass medias are scarce.

METHODS: A total of 108 randomly selected male high school students and teachers were interviewed in May 1995 at Debretabor, South Gondar Zone. A structured self reporting questionnaire was used to assess their knowledge about AIDS and primary source of information.

RESULTS: The finding indicates that the overall knowledge score was good 17.4 out of 22 (mode, 19.3; median, 18.0). There were, however, many incorrect beliefs including belief in transmission by insect bites (58.3%) and, no difference exists between HIV infection and AIDS disease (62.0%). The most common source of information on AIDS were friends and health institutions. Teachers had higher knowledge when compared to students, p is less than 0.05.

CONCLUSION: The results highlight the need to collect more data about schools AIDS knowledge if we are to ensure that the available resources in a rural community for HIV prevention are to be used efficiently.

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LBC6061

Copyright © 1996 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.