College students' attitudes and knowledge of AIDS
Teka, T.
Ethiopian Medical Journal 31(4): 233-237
1993
ISSN/ISBN: 0014-1755 PMID: 8287857 Document Number: 331432
Sero-epidemiological surveys conducted in Ethiopia since 1987 indicate that the prevalence of HIV infection seems to be increasing. This paper reports findings from a survey of knowledge, attitudes, and practices relating to HIV/AIDS among students at the Gondar College of Medical Sciences in Gondar, Ethiopia. 115 male and 49 female incoming students for the 1990-91 academic year were sampled. 49.5% of the boys and 18.3% of the girls had experienced sexual intercourse. 75.8% of the sexually active students, however, did not use condoms and 47% of then had had sexual contact with a casual partner or prostitute. More narrowly, 19.6% of the sexually experienced had had sex with a prostitute and 27.3% had done so with a casual partner. Sampled students engaged in unprotected sex despite having overall adequate knowledge of AIDS which was comparable to that of other college and high school students. 88.4% accepted AIDS as a deadly disease and 61.6% knew the acceptable preventive measures. at 3.1.% did not know or did not agree that condom use can prevent the sexual transmission of HIV.