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Knowledge, attitude and practice study of HIV in female adolescents presenting for contraceptive services in a rural health district in the north-east of Namibia
BACKGROUND: Namibia bears a large burden of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and the youth are disproportionately affected. OBJECTIVES: To explore the current knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of female adolescents attending family planning to HIV prevention. METHODS: A cross-sectional study des...
Autores principales: | , , |
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Formato: | Online Artículo Texto |
Lenguaje: | English |
Publicado: |
AOSIS OpenJournals
2012
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Materias: | |
Acceso en línea: | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4565145/ http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/phcfm.v4i1.342 |
Sumario: | BACKGROUND: Namibia bears a large burden of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and the youth are disproportionately affected. OBJECTIVES: To explore the current knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of female adolescents attending family planning to HIV prevention. METHODS: A cross-sectional study design was used on a sample 251 unmarried female adolescents aged from 13 years to 19 years accessing primary care services for contraception using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data were analysed using Epi Info 2002. Crude associations were assessed using cross-tabulations of knowledge, attitude and behaviour scores against demographic variables. Chi-square tests and odds ratios were used to assess associations from the cross-tabulations. All p-values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A quarter of sexually active teenagers attending the family-planning services did not have adequate knowledge of HIV prevention strategies. Less than a quarter (23.9%) always used a condom. Most respondents (83.3%) started sexual intercourse when older than 16 years, but only 38.6% used a condom at their sexual debut. The older the girls were at sexual debut, the more likely they were to use a condom for the event (8% did so at age 13 years and 100% at age 19 years). CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge of condom use as an HIV prevention strategy did not translate into consistent condom use. One alternate approach in family-planning facilities may be to encourage condom use as a dual protection method. Delayed onset of sexual activity and consistent use of condoms should be encouraged amongst schoolchildren, in the school setting. |
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