Knowledge and Attitude towards HIV/AIDS among Late Adolescent in Dalit Community(A Case Study from Dalit Community of Hemja VDC, Kaski District)

Abstract

HIV/AIDS is still the most important new threat to world health to emerge in 21st century and recent years have seen a dramatic spread of HIV/AIDS from the initial focus in the United States, Europe and Africa to South America and Asia. Although efforts for its prevention and control have been made continuously for wide by government NGOs and INGOs to minimize thespread of HIV infection, it is still beyond the capacity of the medical world and is categorizedincurable disease. It proper action is not taken immediately, it will vanish the existence of human beings one day. The first case of AIDS in Nepal was diagnosed in July 1988. The cumulative numbers ofHIV/AIDS cases were recorded 16,262 in December, 2010 (NCASC). Non-formal sources estimated a rather large number of people infected by HIV infection in Nepal. Therefore the dramatic surge of sexually transmitted infection and HIV/AIDS in recent years is emerging as aburning problem in Nepal. This study chooses late adolescents in Dalit community of Hemja VDC. The specific objectives of this study are to describe the socio-economic and demographic characteristics of the respondents and household, to study the knowledge on HIV/AIDS among late adolescents and to identify and assess the attitude on HIV/AIDSof late adolescents in HemjaVDC. The total late adolescents of sample size are 140. The sample sizes from different ward numbersare determined. Out of the total sample size of 140 late adolescents, majority of them are Kami(58.57 percent), followed by Sarki (24.28 percent), Gandarva (9.29 percent) and Damai (7.86percent). All respondents of Dalit community followed Hindu religion. The largest percentage of respondents is found in the age group of 19 years (28.57 percent). Majority of the respondents are unmarried (92.14 percent). Nearly all of the respondents reported that they have heard about HIV/AIDS. But some respondents have misconception about about HIV/AIDS .Most of there spondents (94.29 percent) have heard about HIV/AIDS. In the source of information, television become most popular than followed by radio.