Survey of knowledge of HIV infection among senior secondary school 3 (SSS3) students in Port Harcourt.

BACKGROUND

The objective of this paper is to study the knowledge of the students on Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immunodeficiency Deficiency Disease (HIV/AIDS) among third year senior secondary school (SSS3) students in Port Harcourt metropolis.

METHOD

This was a cross-sectional survey involving 1800 SSS3 students from thirteen secondary schools in Port Harcourt metropolis, selected by a two-stage stratified sampling technique, using a self administered structured questionnaire.

RESULTS

Thirty one percent, 14.4%, 9.1% and 8% of the students studied identified sexual intercourse, blood transfusion, mother to child (vertical) transmission and intravenous drug use, respectively, as modes of transmission of HIV infection. Only 7.1% identified all the listed four modes of transmission of HIV whilst 0.7% of the students identified all the listed preventive methods. The level of knowledge of the students on HIV did not significantly increase with age (p = 0.745). Students from Federal school demonstrated more knowledge than students from state and private schools. Similarly, students from all-male school had more knowledge than students from all-female and co-educational schools. Students from high social class demonstrated more knowledge than those from middle and low social class.

CONCLUSION

It is concluded that the knowledge of the students on the transmission and prevention of HIV/AIDS is poor. There is need to intensify HIV/AIDS education programmes among adolescents.