Knowledge and Attitude on STDS and HIV/AiDS among Secondary Level School Students: A Case Study of Putali Bazar Municipality, Syangja District

Abstract

The STDs and HIV/AIDS have become major health concerns in Nepal, ever since the first case that was found in 1988 with detection of HIV positive. The number of HIV positive cases has been suggested up to 3312, as the official data (NCASC, Dec. 2003). However, the other sources estimate a much larger number of people infected by HIV alone. Therefore it seemed necessary to have research on to what extent the adolescent students are aware about these diseases. This study is based on the primary data collection from six secondary schools of rural areas of Syangja district of Western Development Region of Nepal.The major objective of the survey study is to examine the knowledge, attitude on STDs and HIV/AIDS among school adolescents. To meet this objective,120 respondents are selected from six secondary schools. Among them 67 are boys and 53 are girls, within the age range of 14-20 years. The knowledge on STDs-HIV/AIDS is found higher on boys than on girls.The background variables such as parent's education, occupation, land holding size, yearly income and mass media facilities have impact on the level of knowledge and attitude. Almost all of there spondents have reported that they have heard about STDs and HIV/AIDS. The adolescents have reported that teachers, textbooks, radios, TV and magazines are the main sources of information on STDs and HIV/AIDS. In every respect related to sexual knowledge, the boys seem more aware than the girls. The main reason behind this may be that the girls do not have opportunity to education and they have to involve in household works. Similarly, unmarried adolescents are more aware on STDs and HIV/AIDS than the married ones. Hundred percent of the respondents believe that STD is transmitted through sexual contact and 90 percent of the respondents say that using condom is the v true method for preventing AIDS transmission. According to them the safest method of family planning is condom. The adolescents have reported that though the lessons on HIV/AIDS have been included in the course, the teachers cannot effectively explain the matter and cannot make the students properly knowledge about it. The main reason behind this, according to them, may be the teachers' lack of sufficient knowledge as well as their hesitation to talk on the matter very clearly. All of the respondents have mentioned that they need knowledge about STDs, HIV/AIDS, and sex and family planning methods. The intended age at marriage of 80 percent of adolescents is found to be 25-30 years.