Ssali Paul Waswa, Kintu Timothy Mwanje, Kyagambiddwa Tonny, Karungi Immaculate, Namuyaba Agnes Kisakye, Namaseruka Ruth, Agaba Mark, Obua Celestino, Wakida Edith K, Kabakyenga Jerome Kahuma
Mbarara University of Science and Technology.
Res Sq. 2025 Apr 9:rs.3.rs-5543904. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5543904/v1.
Young people aged 15-24 years continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV globally. In sub-Saharan Africa, utilization of HIV prevention services remains suboptimal. Education plays a pivotal role in enhancing HIV prevention knowledge among youth, but its effectiveness is influenced by factors such as age, gender, and socioeconomic status. The objective of this study was to investigate how education status, age, and gender influence awareness use, and preferences of HIV prevention methods among youth in rural southwestern Uganda.
A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted in March 2022 among 216 adolescents and young adults aged 15-24 years in Rubirizi District, southwestern Uganda. Participants were recruited using stratified random sampling from three publicly funded schools and snowball sampling from local trading centers to include both school-going and non-school-going youth. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire translated into the local language. Descriptive statistics and inferential analyses were performed using R software, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.
A majority (72%) perceived themselves at low risk of HIV infection, with school-going youth demonstrated higher awareness of abstinence (75% vs. 32%, < 0.001) and prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) (46% vs. 25%, = 0.002) compared to non-school-going youth. Younger individuals were more likely to practice abstinence (mean age 18.9 years vs. 19.7 years, = 0.017). Males also had higher awareness of being faithful (59% vs. 44%, p = 0.04). Private doctors (46%) and hospitals (47%) were the most favored access points for PrEP. Younger participants expressed greater concern about daily pill-taking inconvenience (mean age 20.4 years vs. 19.2 years, p = 0.04). Radio (73%) and television (41%) were the most preferred methods for HIV information dissemination. Females preferred magazines more than males (21% vs. 10.3%, p = 0.046).
Education status, age, and gender influence HIV prevention awareness through differences in access to information, risk perception, and preference of prevention methods among youth in rural Uganda. Therefore, aligning HIV prevention strategies with the specific needs and preferences of different youth subgroups can enhance awareness, risk perception, and utilization of HIV prevention methods.
在全球范围内，15 - 24岁的年轻人受艾滋病毒影响的比例仍然过高。在撒哈拉以南非洲，艾滋病毒预防服务的利用率仍然不理想。教育在提高青年艾滋病毒预防知识方面发挥着关键作用，但其效果受到年龄、性别和社会经济地位等因素的影响。本研究的目的是调查教育状况、年龄和性别如何影响乌干达西南部农村地区青年对艾滋病毒预防方法的知晓、使用和偏好。
2022年3月，在乌干达西南部鲁比里齐区对216名15 - 24岁的青少年和青年成年人进行了一项横断面定量研究。参与者通过分层随机抽样从三所公立学校招募，并通过滚雪球抽样从当地贸易中心招募，以纳入在校和非在校青年。使用翻译成当地语言的结构化问卷收集数据。使用R软件进行描述性统计和推断分析，设定统计学显著性为p < 0.05。
大多数（72%）认为自己感染艾滋病毒的风险较低，与非在校青年相比，在校青年对禁欲（75%对32%，p < 0.001）和预防母婴传播（PMTCT）（46%对25%，p = 0.002）的知晓率更高。年龄较小的个体更有可能实行禁欲（平均年龄18.9岁对19.7岁，p = 0.017）。男性对保持忠诚（59%对44%，p = 0.04）的知晓率也更高。私人医生（46%）和医院（47%）是最受欢迎的暴露前预防（PrEP）获取途径。年龄较小的参与者对每日服药不便更为担忧（平均年龄20.4岁对19.2岁，p = 0.04）。广播（73%）和电视（41%）是最受欢迎的艾滋病毒信息传播方式。女性比男性更喜欢杂志（21%对10.3%，p = 0.046）。
在乌干达农村地区，教育状况、年龄和性别通过青年在获取信息、风险认知和预防方法偏好方面的差异影响艾滋病毒预防意识。因此，使艾滋病毒预防策略与不同青年亚组的特定需求和偏好相一致，可以提高艾滋病毒预防方法的知晓率、风险认知和利用率。
