Assessment of knowledge and attitudes to HIV and sexual risk behaviour among 15-19-year-old learners in Ngong Sub-District, Kenya

Abstract

Since the early 1980s when the first case of HIV was diagnosed, AIDS remains a serious and threatening health crisis in the world. Sub-Saharan Africa is the region most affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic having 67 % of the 33 million people infected with HIV globally in 2007. Young people aged 15-24 account for an estimated 45% of all new HIV infections worldwide. The study aimed to assess the knowledge and attitudes on HIV/AIDS and sexual behavior among 15-19 year olds in Kenya. A descriptive, cross-sectional survey was conducted among 96 students randomly selected from five public schools in Ngong sub-district. Descriptive and bivariate analysis was conducted using Epi Info 3.3 and SPSS. The main findings indicate that a third (31/96) of respondents were sexually experienced. Knowledge level was however found to be inadequate (below 60 %) indicating a poorly informed sample on knowledge about HIV transmission and prevention. The study showed poor attitudes towards the risk to HIV as only 40 % of both males and females supported the use of condoms even when the sexual partners know each other well. Inaddition, risky sexual behaviors were reported by sexually experienced respondents where condom use in last sexual intercourse was (57 %) among males and (20 %) among females.