Adolescents’ knowledge of HIV and aids in Kawempe urban council secondary schools, Kampala – Uganda

Abstract

The study was about Adolescents’ Knowledge of HIV and AIDS. It was carried out in Kawempe Urban Council Secondary Schools, Kampala – Uganda. The objectives of the study were to establish adolescents’ knowledge of: i) concepts of HIV and AIDS, ii) transmission and iii) prevention/treatment in Kawempe Urban Council in Kampala, Capital City Authority. An exploratory research design was used. Data was collected using self-administered questionnaires and interview guides. Respondents were 10 head teachers, 20 teachers and 240 senior II students from ten secondary schools in Kawempe Urban Council. The findings show that knowledge on concept of HIV and AIDS of the adolescent’s was high (92.1%) on definition of AIDS. However, knowledge on major types of HIV and symptoms of HIV was low 24.6% and (42.1%) respectively. Although most adolescents (73.8%) said that HIV is transmitted through blood transfusion and kissing (45.4%), over 83.4% of adolescents thought mosquitoes, shaking hands (87.9%) and witchcraft (84.6%) can spread HIV. About eight percent of adolescents knew that abstinence is the best way of preventing the HIV, 85.5% knew that condoms could prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS if correctly used. Sixty-eight percent thought that HIV and AIDS can be cured by antiretroviral drugs. About 67.5% thought that HIV and AIDS can be cured through prayers. It is concluded that although adolescents from Kawempe Urban Council are knowledgeable in some concepts, transmission and prevention/treatment of HIV and AIDS, there still exist gaps in their knowledge of HIV/AIDS. It is recommended that teachers, school administrators and Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) officials should: give more information about HIV and AIDS to the adolescents, conduct more sensitization on modes of transmission and continue to educate the adolescents on methods of prevention of HIV/AIDS