Page 139 - HIVMED_v21_i1.indb

Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine
ISSN: (Online) 2078-6751, (Print) 1608-9693
Page 1 of 7 Original Research

Knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards people

with HIV and AIDS among private higher education

students in Johannesburg, South Africa

Authors: Background: Human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
Natasha Khamisa (HIV and AIDS) is a global health and social problem, with South Africa having an estimated
1
Maboe Mokgobi 2
Tariro Basera 3 overall prevalence rate of 13.5%. Compared to young male participants, young female
participants have been reported to have less knowledge about HIV and AIDS, including
Affiliations: prevention strategies, and this is associated with risky sexual behaviours and negative
1 Department of Public Health,
School of Engineering, IT, attitudes towards condom use.
Science and Health, IIE MSA,
Johannesburg, South Africa Objectives: The study investigated gender differences in knowledge, attitudes and behaviours
towards HIV and AIDS among 542 private higher education students in Johannesburg,
2 Department of Psychology, South Africa.
School of Social Science,
IIE MSA, Johannesburg, Method: Participants completed an online structured questionnaire measuring knowledge,
South Africa attitudes and behaviours as well as demographics (including age, gender and relationship
status).
3 Médecins Sans Frontières,
Rustenburg, South Africa Results: The results indicate that overall there were no significant differences between male
and female students in terms of HIV and AIDS knowledge. However, female students had
Project Research Number:
CF15/1095 – 2015000518c significantly less knowledge with regard to unprotected anal sex as a risk factor for HIV and
AIDS. In addition, young female students reported condom use at last sex less frequently than
Corresponding author: male students. Nonetheless, both genders reported a positive attitude towards condom use
Natasha Khamisa,
natasha.khamisa@monash. and towards people living with HIV and AIDS.
edu
Conclusion: It is recommended that the relevant authorities at the state and the higher
Dates: education level seriously consider implementing specific strategies for preventing HIV and
Received: 11 June 2019 AIDS through improved knowledge, attitudes and behaviours among young females.
Accepted: 11 Dec. 2019
Published: 24 Mar. 2020 Keywords: attitudes about contraception; levels of knowledge; risky sexual behaviours;
gender differences; young female students.
How to cite this article:
Khamisa N, Mokgobi M,
Basera T. Knowledge,
attitudes and behaviours Introduction
towards people with HIV and
AIDS among private higher Since the beginning of the epidemic, human immunodeficiency virus and acquired
education students in immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV and AIDS) has affected more than 70 million people
Johannesburg, South Africa. globally, accounting for 35 million deaths. As of 2018, over 30% of the global HIV and AIDS
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S Afr J HIV Med. 2020;21(1),
a991. https://doi.org/ prevalence has been among the youth aged 15–25 years, with 5 million young people currently
10.4102/sajhivmed.v21i1.991 living with HIV and AIDS. The youth between the ages of 15 and 24 years account for 45%
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of new infections. The burden of HIV and AIDS is concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa, where
2
Copyright:
© 2020. The Authors. 71% of people living with HIV reside and where 65% of new infections reported in 2017
Licensee: AOSIS. This work occurred. The female population is disproportionately affected by HIV, with three in four
3
is licensed under the new infections reported among girls aged 15–19 years, while the young female population
Creative Commons
Attribution License. aged 15–24 years is twice as likely to be living with HIV and AIDS than their male
counterparts. 4
South Africa is known to have one of the highest rates of HIV and AIDS globally and on the
African continent. It is estimated that 7.97 million South Africans (13.5%) are living with HIV and
AIDS, and over a fifth of these are females of reproductive age (15–49 years). Gauteng Province,
Read online: the most populous province in the country (25.8% of the population), is home to over 2 million
5
Scan this QR young people, the majority of whom are females. The high infection rate among the young female
code with your
smart phone or population is attributed to a lack of knowledge as well as poor attitudes towards the use of
mobile device condoms and risky sexual behaviour. Knowledge regarding HIV and AIDS infection is necessary
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to read online.
to correct negative attitudes towards condom use and to encourage healthy sexual behaviour
http://www.sajhivmed.org.za 131 Open Access