Sexual Health, Reproductive Intentions, and HIV Knowledge among Primary and Secondary Students in Northern Uganda: A Cross-Sectional Study
Updated: 4 days ago
St.Claire, S, Kia J, Alobo W, Wipfli RW, Wipfli W.1. Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health. 2020 March. 4:175. DOI: 10.29011/2577-2228.100075.
Abstract
Background: Unintended pregnancies and HIV/AIDS prevention and response remain significant health challenges throughout Uganda, especially among adolescents who have limited access to comprehensive sexual health education. This study aimed to evaluate youth attitudes towards and knowledge of safe sex practices, pregnancy intentions, and prevention of HIV amongst students in the Lango region of northern Uganda.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in June 2018 among 242 primary and secondary school students (147 female and 95 male) from 19 schools in Oyam, Uganda. Female participants were oversampled due to specific research interest in the knowledge and attitudes of girls who are most at risk of becoming pregnant and/or HIV positive during adolescence and young adulthood. The structured interviewer-administered questionnaire contained sections on demographic characteristics, self-esteem, and knowledge and beliefs. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the sociodemographic characteristics of participants and a nominal logistic regression model was used to determine variables that influenced outcomes of interest.
Results: The majority of students understood that condoms are an effective way to prevent pregnancy (89.8%). The vast majority of students indicated that they wanted 5 or less children and nearly 70% indicated that their preference was to have children after 23 years of age. 82.1% of participants did not believe HIV is treatable. Over half of participants indicated they would not be at all embarrassed to tell their families if they were to get HIV (53.35%), but 30% indicated that they would not be friends with a HIV positive individual. Accurate knowledge of HIV transmission was significantly related to likelihood that they would be friends with an HIV positive individual.
Conclusion: The survey results point to a large gap between reproductive intentions and results and, while participants correctly identified sex with an infected individual as a means of HIV transmission, over 80% did not believe HIV is treatable. The lack of knowledge among the study population about HIV treatment is highly problematic given that treatment is linked to longer, healthier lives, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, and reduced risk of transmission to sexual partners.
