AEGiS-14IAC: Is HIV/AIDS education reaching early adolescents in Ethiopia? A KAP survey with 10-14 year olds.

14th International AIDS Conference

Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

Is HIV/AIDS education reaching early adolescents in Ethiopia? A KAP survey with 10-14 year olds.

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. E11461)

Mulatu MS, Adamu R
SSES/NIMH/NIH, Bethesda, MD, United States

BACKGROUND: Childhood to early adolescence is considered to be the "window of hope" for HIV prevention. Studies focusing on HIV/AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) of this age group of Ethiopians are limited.

METHODS: A sample of 712 students in grades 6 through 8 from schools in Addis Ababa (national capital) and Arba Minch (regional capital) completed an HIV/AIDS KAP survey. Sixty three percent (N = 446) were between 10-14 years of age, and data from this group were analyzed.

RESULTS: Knowledge about the major routes of HIV transmission was generally high: 86% or more of the students knew that HIV is transmitted by having sex with an infected person, receiving HIV tainted blood, and from an infected mother to her baby. However, 15 to 42% held incorrect beliefs about the casual transmission of HIV through sharing utensils, social kissing, and handshaking with HIV+ people. In addition, one-third of them maintained that HIV can be transmitted by mosquito bites or that a traditional cure exists for AIDS. Although 85% of them believed that HIV could be prevented, only 57% knew enough about condoms to describe their benefits. The most common sources of information on HIV/AIDS were radio/TV (92%), teachers (82%), and printed materials (79%). Only 41% of them thought they could get AIDS and 32% thought that HIV+ peers must not be allowed to go to school. HIV/AIDS knowledge was significantly correlated with the number of information sources and family socio-economic factors.

CONCLUSIONS: Basic HIV/AIDS information appears to have reached most urban Ethiopian school children and early adolescents. However, overall level of knowledge remains modest and incomplete. Inaccurate beliefs about casual transmission and disease characteristics, low levels of personal threat, and ambivalent attitudes toward HIV+ people are widespread. Comprehensive and developmentally appropriate interventions are critically needed to prevent HIV/AIDS among these youth.

Keywords: AEGIS, HIV, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, HIV Infections, Health Education, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Data Collection, Condoms, Students, HIV Seropositivity, Schools, Coitus, Adolescent Behavior, Ethiopia, Africa, Adolescent, Human, Adolescence, Infant, Child, prevention & control

020707
E11461