Knowledge and Attitude Towards on Stds and HIV/AIDS Among Secondary School Students of Lalitpur District

Abstract

Sexually transmitted disease (STDs) and HIV/AIDS have been threatening the human being since last two decades. The AIDS epidemic may be the most devastating health disaster in human history. HIV/AIDS has become major as well as critical public health issue particularly in Africa facing the worst effect of the AIDS epidemic. At least 45 million people are now living with HIV in the world. An estimated 5.1 million people were newly infected with HIV by the end of 2008. Among them 95 percent in Sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe and Asia.Lalitpur district is selected as the study areafor the research because it is the permanent residential area of researcher in differen tsocial-cultural circumstances. Lalitpur district has diverse geographical and socio-culture nature.In this district the majority of people are Hindu (70.43) and Buddhist (26.25) .The total literacy rate of this sub-metroplicition is 70.9 percent female 60.4 percent male 81.0 percent and total school 477 and Newar residential area is 40.32 percent and occupation agriculture 34.89 percent and non agriculture 65.71 percent. This study has collecteddata of altogether 105 respondents including 51 (48.6%)respondents from grade IX and 54 (51.4%) respondents from grade X. Majority of the adolescents have knowledge about the preventive measure of STDs and HIV/AIDS among them (93.5%) male and (91.9%) female respondents have the knowledge about means of transmission of these fatal diseases through the sexual contact. Public awareness is the best measure and counseling service in the second appropriate measure to tackle the problem of HIV infected people. However, sound knowledge and respective are found in the study area and their status of looking AIDS infected person is also positive attitude, behavior and knowledge among the adolescents.Knowledge about STDs and HIV/AIDS is appreciating. However they have confusion on symptoms, mode of transmission and preventive measure.