Knowledge and Attitude of Adolescents Towards HIV/AIDS: A Case Study of Jogbuda VDC in Dadeldhura District

Abstract

The title, "Knowledge and Attitude of Adolescents towards HIV/AIDS " of the present thesis tried to examine the knowledge, attitude and behaviors of adolescents towards by using factors that influence the knowledge and attitude on HIV/AIDS in the study area.

This study has been carried out on the basis of descriptive as well as analytical research design because the study provides the details information about the knowledge and attitude of adolescents towards HIV/AIDS. The study has been based on the basis of primary information that helps to analyze the attitude and knowledge of adolescents towards HIV/AIDS. It is mainly based on primary data from 100 respondents. The study area is Jogbuda VDC in Dadeldhura district. To collect data, opinion survey, observation and key informants interview (KII) was conducted by developing their respective tools. Out of 100%, 90% of the respondents were literate and 10% were illiterate. Seventy-five percent of respondents were students and others were involved in agriculture, wage labor and other occupations. Majority of respondents have heard about HIV/AIDS while only few respondents know about Syphilis, Gonorrhea and hepatitis. Majority of the respondents are familiar with symptoms of STDs and mode of transmission of HIV. The most common symptoms of STDs, mode of transmission of HIV/AIDS are loss of body weight, swelling of limbs, appearance of red spots around the genital organs, bleeding in other time than menstruation period, frequent diarrhea more than one month and fever more than one month. Out of 100% respondents 49% respondents said that unsafe sex is the major cause of transmission of HIV/AIDS. Respondents get information about AIDS from TV, radio, books, health person, peers and community mobilizers. Radio is the best source of information for respondents because radio is available in everybody's house. Majority of respondents said that they are afraid of kissing with infected people. However, 30% of respondents are even afraid of sharing clothes, sharing single bed and sitting together. To conclude, majority of respondents have misconception between being infected with HIV and having AIDS. Respondents have heard of STDs, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis but unknown about syphilis and gonorrhea. Drug addicts are most vulnerable. Forty percent of the respondents are unknown about the transmission of AIDS from mother to child. Most of the respondents were unknown about retroviral therapy, however, some respondents are knowledgeable about it.