AEGiS-14IAC: Impact of HIV/AIDS teacher training on knowledge, attitude and confidence of primary school teachers in South Africa.

14th International AIDS Conference


Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

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Impact of HIV/AIDS teacher training on knowledge, attitude and confidence of primary school teachers in South Africa.

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. E11450)

Chopra M, Johnson B, Vergnani T
University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa

BACKGROUND: South Africa is suffering from one of the fastest growing and largest HIV epidemics in the world. One of the most important strategies in combating the disease is to introduce effective Life Skills and HIV/AIDS programmes aimed at school-based youth. South Africa has embarked on a three year project to introduce life skills and HIV/AIDS education into all primary schools. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of different models of implementation of teacher training on teachers' knowledge, attitude, confidence and comfort in teaching around HIV/AIDS topics.

METHODS: Pre and Post training self-filling questionnaires were administered to all teachers on the HIV/AIDS training courses in the Western Cape province of South Africa

RESULTS: 3,582 and 3,150 teachers completed the pre and post training questionnaires respectively (completion rate 88%). Overall there was a significant improvement in all spheres after the training. However post-training, 23% of teachers did not feel confident about teaching HIV/AIDS, 34% would not feel comfortable teaching about condom use, 32% did not feel that HIV learners should play sports and 36% thought that only a person with AIDS could spread HIV. Number of days of teaching, block teaching, involvement of principal, active involvement of NGOs and availability of learning materials were all significantly related to improved outcomes from the training.

CONCLUSIONS: School teachers in this study started from a very low knowledge base and despite the intensive training intervention there is still a need for further follow-up support and training. Important factors that increase the effectiveness of the training have also been identified.

Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Schools, Faculty, Teaching, HIV Infections, Knowledge, Health Education, Attitude, HIV Seropositivity, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Questionnaires, South Africa, Attitude to Health, educationKWDaegis,acquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome,schools,faculty,teaching,hivinfections,knowledge,healtheducation,attitude,hivseropositivity,healthknowledge,attitudes,practice,questionnaires,southafrica,attitudetohealth,education

020707
E11450

Copyright © 2002 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.