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Knowledge, Attitude and Practices on HIV/AIDS among Students of Bahir Dar University

Received: 24 December 2013     Published: 28 February 2014
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Abstract

Background: Students of higher education are more likely to be at risk of HIV/AIDS. Insufficient knowledge, less favorable attitudes and risky sexual practices are the major hindrances to prevent the spread of HIV. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess HIV related knowledge, attitude and practices (KAPs) of University students in Bahir Dar. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted from January to March/ 2013. A structured questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic variables and KAPs of students. Mean score and percentage were used to determine the level of KAP. Bivariate analysis was used to compute P- value, odds ratio and Confidence interval. Multivariate analysis was done to correlate KAPs with sociodemographic variables. Authors guided self-administered data collection technique was used. Results: From 817 participants, 45.7% were knowledgeable towards HIV/AIDS. The majority (82.8%) had favorable attitude. Knowledgeable students had more favorable attitudes compared to not-knowledgeable students (87.6% vs 78.6%). Good practices towards HIV/AIDS were observed among 41.7% of respondents. The majority (80.5%) of participants were not confident to discuss about condom use by demonstration. Students who were Knowledgeable and had favorable attitude had a better preventive practices towards HIV/AIDS compared to students who are not-knowledgeable and those who had unfavorable attitudes respectively. Differences in level of education, sex and religion were among the sociodemographic variables that showed statistically significant association with the one or more of the outcome variables. Conclusion: The majority of participating University students were not knowledgeable, had favorable attitude and poor practices towards HIV/AIDS. The study highlighted misconceptions about preventive methods of HIV transmission and risky sexual practices which need to be addressed. Therefore, specified, focused, continued and strengthened education on HIV/AIDS-related issues to bring change in practices, along with knowledge and attitudes has to be given.

Published in Science Journal of Public Health (Volume 2, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.sjph.20140202.16
Page(s) 78-86
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2014. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Knowledge, Attitude, Practices, HIV/AIDS, Students, University, BahirDar

References
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[2] Shiferaw Y, Alemu A, Girma A et al. Assessment of knowledge, attitude and risk behaviors towards HIV/AIDs and other sexual transmitted infections among preparatory students of Gondar town, northwest Ethiopia. BMC Research Notes. 2011; 4(505):2-8.
[3] Tewabe T, Destaw B, Admassu M, Abera B.Assesment of factors associated with voluntary counseling and testing uptake among students in BahirDar University. a case control study. Ethiop.j. health dev. 2012; 26 (1): 16-21.
[4] Regassa N, Kedir S. Attitudes and practices on HIV preventions among students of higher education institutions in Ethiopia: the case of Addis Ababa University. Educ. Res. 2011. 2(2): 828 - 840.
[5] Behavioural surveillance survey (BSS) Ethiopia (2005). Round two, MOH/HAPCO, AAU,CSA, EPHA, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 2005.
[6] Abebaw A. Determinants of voluntary HIV counselling and testing among AAU under graduate final year students. Un publishrd thesis. 2008
[7] Agbedia C. knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of sand witch undergraduate students of delta state University, Abraka, Nigerion condom use in the prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unwanted pregnancy. IOSR-JHss. 2013; 7(4): 73-78.
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[10] BahirDar University back ground information. Available at http://wwwbdu.eduet/indexphp/about-us/background
[11] Negussie T. Sexual activity out of school youth and their knowledge and attitude about STD/HIV/AIDs in southern Ethiopia. Ethiop J Health Dev.19997; 11(1): 29-36.
[12] Gashaw A, Afework K, Yigzaw K, et al. Low prevalence of HIV infection, and knowledge ,attitude and practice on HIV/AIDs among high school students in Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia. Ethiop J Health Dev. 21(2): 179-182.
[13] Aleude O, Imhonde HO, Maliki AE, Alutu A. Assessing Nigerian University student’s knowledge about HIV/AIDs. J.Soc.Sci. 2005; 11(3): 207-213.
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[15] Gile PP. exploration of HIV/AIDs related knowledge, attitude and practice of University community: the case of Ethiopian Civil Service College. Stand. Sci. Res. Essays.2013; 6: 124-142.
[16] Lal SS,Vasan RS, Sarma PS, Thankappan KR. Knowledge and attitudes of college students in Kerala towards HIV/AIDs, sexually transmitted diseases and sexuality. NatiMedJIndia. 2000;13(5): 231-236.
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  • APA Style

    Wondemagegn Mulu, Bayeh Abera, Mulat Yimer. (2014). Knowledge, Attitude and Practices on HIV/AIDS among Students of Bahir Dar University. Science Journal of Public Health, 2(2), 78-86. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20140202.16

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    ACS Style

    Wondemagegn Mulu; Bayeh Abera; Mulat Yimer. Knowledge, Attitude and Practices on HIV/AIDS among Students of Bahir Dar University. Sci. J. Public Health 2014, 2(2), 78-86. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20140202.16

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    AMA Style

    Wondemagegn Mulu, Bayeh Abera, Mulat Yimer. Knowledge, Attitude and Practices on HIV/AIDS among Students of Bahir Dar University. Sci J Public Health. 2014;2(2):78-86. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20140202.16

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  • @article{10.11648/j.sjph.20140202.16,
      author = {Wondemagegn Mulu and Bayeh Abera and Mulat Yimer},
      title = {Knowledge, Attitude and Practices on HIV/AIDS among Students of Bahir Dar University},
      journal = {Science Journal of Public Health},
      volume = {2},
      number = {2},
      pages = {78-86},
      doi = {10.11648/j.sjph.20140202.16},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20140202.16},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.sjph.20140202.16},
      abstract = {Background: Students of higher education are more likely to be at risk of HIV/AIDS.   Insufficient knowledge, less favorable attitudes and risky sexual practices are the major hindrances to prevent the spread of HIV.  Thus, the aim of this study was to assess HIV related knowledge, attitude and practices (KAPs) of University students in Bahir Dar. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted from January to March/ 2013. A structured questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic variables and KAPs of students. Mean score and percentage were used to determine the level of KAP. Bivariate analysis was used to compute P- value, odds ratio and Confidence interval.  Multivariate analysis was done to correlate KAPs with sociodemographic variables. Authors guided self-administered data collection technique was  used. Results: From 817 participants, 45.7% were knowledgeable towards HIV/AIDS. The majority (82.8%) had favorable attitude. Knowledgeable students had more favorable attitudes compared to not-knowledgeable students (87.6% vs 78.6%). Good practices towards HIV/AIDS were observed among 41.7% of respondents. The majority (80.5%) of participants were not confident to discuss about condom use by demonstration. Students who were Knowledgeable and had favorable attitude had a better preventive practices towards HIV/AIDS compared to students who are  not-knowledgeable and those who had unfavorable attitudes respectively. Differences in level of education, sex and religion were among the sociodemographic variables that showed statistically significant association with the one or more of the outcome variables. Conclusion: The majority of participating University students were not knowledgeable, had favorable attitude and poor practices towards HIV/AIDS. The study highlighted misconceptions about preventive methods of HIV transmission and risky sexual practices which need to be addressed. Therefore, specified, focused, continued and strengthened education on HIV/AIDS-related issues to bring change in practices, along with knowledge and attitudes has to be given.},
     year = {2014}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Knowledge, Attitude and Practices on HIV/AIDS among Students of Bahir Dar University
    AU  - Wondemagegn Mulu
    AU  - Bayeh Abera
    AU  - Mulat Yimer
    Y1  - 2014/02/28
    PY  - 2014
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20140202.16
    DO  - 10.11648/j.sjph.20140202.16
    T2  - Science Journal of Public Health
    JF  - Science Journal of Public Health
    JO  - Science Journal of Public Health
    SP  - 78
    EP  - 86
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2328-7950
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20140202.16
    AB  - Background: Students of higher education are more likely to be at risk of HIV/AIDS.   Insufficient knowledge, less favorable attitudes and risky sexual practices are the major hindrances to prevent the spread of HIV.  Thus, the aim of this study was to assess HIV related knowledge, attitude and practices (KAPs) of University students in Bahir Dar. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted from January to March/ 2013. A structured questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic variables and KAPs of students. Mean score and percentage were used to determine the level of KAP. Bivariate analysis was used to compute P- value, odds ratio and Confidence interval.  Multivariate analysis was done to correlate KAPs with sociodemographic variables. Authors guided self-administered data collection technique was  used. Results: From 817 participants, 45.7% were knowledgeable towards HIV/AIDS. The majority (82.8%) had favorable attitude. Knowledgeable students had more favorable attitudes compared to not-knowledgeable students (87.6% vs 78.6%). Good practices towards HIV/AIDS were observed among 41.7% of respondents. The majority (80.5%) of participants were not confident to discuss about condom use by demonstration. Students who were Knowledgeable and had favorable attitude had a better preventive practices towards HIV/AIDS compared to students who are  not-knowledgeable and those who had unfavorable attitudes respectively. Differences in level of education, sex and religion were among the sociodemographic variables that showed statistically significant association with the one or more of the outcome variables. Conclusion: The majority of participating University students were not knowledgeable, had favorable attitude and poor practices towards HIV/AIDS. The study highlighted misconceptions about preventive methods of HIV transmission and risky sexual practices which need to be addressed. Therefore, specified, focused, continued and strengthened education on HIV/AIDS-related issues to bring change in practices, along with knowledge and attitudes has to be given.
    VL  - 2
    IS  - 2
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Medical Microbiology Parasitology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

  • Department of Medical Microbiology Parasitology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

  • Department of Medical Microbiology Parasitology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

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