Assessment of Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Knowledge Level Among In-School Adolescents in Eastern Ethiopia

This 5-page journal article shares findings of a study to assess in-school adolescents' knowledge of HIV/AIDS in eastern Ethiopia. The study found that only about a quarter of in-school adolescents had comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge and that this was associated with gender, family wealth index, and attendance at classes on HIV/AIDS and sexual matters.

A cross-sectional school-based study was conducted using a facilitator-guided self-administered questionnaire. The respondents were students attending regular school in 14 high schools located in 14 different districts in eastern Ethiopia. The proportion of in-school adolescents with comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge was computed and compared by sex. The factors that were associated with the comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge were assessed using bivariate and multivariable logistic regression. According to the article, a large number of adolescents are enrolled in high schools, and a significant proportion of rural students attend high school away from their home village. The level of comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge and access to HIV/AIDS information and services are matters of great concern. Awareness of HIV/AIDS among the adult population has been found to be 97.6% for men and 96.2% for women. However, the levels of overall (57%) and comprehensive (18.5%) knowledge of HIV/AIDS among different population groups including adolescents were lower.

The study found that only about a quarter of in-school adolescents had comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge and that this was partly associated with the sex of the respondents. Although females are highly vulnerable to HIV infection and its effects, they were less likely to have comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge compared to males. This finding is consistent with the Ethiopian DHS report on HIV prevention strategy knowledge and previous in-school adolescents study which reported low HIV transmission modes knowledge among females. This may be due to the cultural double standards placed on males and females, which encourage males to discuss HIV/AIDS and related sexual issues more openly and discourage or even restrict females from discussing sexual related issues.

Family wealth index was associated with comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge. The adolescents from middle or high family wealth index were more likely to have comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge compared to those from a low family wealth index. This is consistent with a finding from another study which reported an increase in mean-knowledge score by increasing socio-economic class. This may be because wealthier families can afford mass media items like televisions, radios, etc., giving their adolescent children access to different HIV/AIDS information sources, particularly as the positive effect was stronger and significant in this study for in-school adolescents whose families reside in rural areas. Furthermore, adolescents from urban families might have different sources of information other than the family-based resources.

Attending classes on HIV/AIDS and sexual matters at school was significantly associated with comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge, in that the respondents who reported that they had attended such classes were more likely to have comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge compared to those who did not attend such classes. This may be because, even though such topics were integrated into some subjects in schools, some schools and/or teachers may not teach these topics, as they might feel they are not well trained on the topic, while some other schools and teachers may teach such topics by making extra efforts.

The paper concludes that the factors associated with comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge of in-school adolescents were both individual factors (gender) and contextual factors (family wealth index, major source of HIV/AIDS information, and ever been taught HIV/AIDS and sexual matters at school). Although the female adolescents are highly vulnerable to HIV infection and its effects, they were by far the less likely to have comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge. Thus, HIV/AIDS information, education, and communication activities need to be intensified in high schools, including further attention being put on gender, the family wealth disparity, the positive influences of peers, mass media, and teaching methods of HIV/AIDS, and related issues at schools.