Factors Predicting Responses to HIV/AIDS Prevention Messages among Wollega University Students, Oromia, Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: Since the first HIV/AIDS cases were reported in 1981, HIV has become one of the world's most serious health and development challenges. Messages should be persuasive and appealing in order to bring the desired effect among the target group. This study aims to assess the factors associated with responses to HIV/AIDS prevention messages among university students. METHODS: A facility based cross-sectional study was conducted using self-administered questionnaire. A total of 710 Wollega University regular students drawn by multi-stage sampling were included. The data were summarized and organized with different descriptive measures and regression analysis using SPSS 16.0. RESULTS: Six hundred ninety-three (693), 429(61.9%) male and 264 (38.1%) female students were participated making a response rate of 97.6%. The mean age of the respondents was (21.27±1.703) (males = 21.60±1.618; females = 20.72±1.701). About 252(36.4%) of the respondents were sexually active, and the mean age of sexual initiation was (18.08±2.416), male (18.47±2.294), and female (17.43±2.491). Perceived severity, perceived self and response efficacy of abstinence significantly predicted the current practice of abstinence (R=0.304, adjR(2) =0.087). Perceived self-efficacy of being faithful significantly predicted the current practice of being monogamous (R=0.218, adjR(2) =0.042). Perceived self and response efficacy of condom use significantly predicted practice of consistent condom use (R=0.398, adjR(2) =0.153). CONCLUSION: Perceived self and response efficacy more predicted HIV/AIDS prevention methods than other variables; so an intervention planned targeting those variables would be more successful on HIV/AIDS prevention in the university.