Can HIV/AIDS be fought by targeting youths in Zambia? Analysis of the Knowledge, Attitudes and Sexual Behaviour among youths aged 15 – 24 years

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Although people of any age are susceptible to HIV, youths aged 15 – 24 face a disproportionate risk of contracting the virus, presumably as a result of limited HIV- and AIDSrelated knowledge and attitudes and high-risk behaviours. Our aim was to assess the influence of demographics and socio-economic status on knowledge, attitudes and sexual behaviour of 15 - 24 year old youths, with the goal of informing the fight against HIV and AIDS in Zambia. METHODS: The study utilised secondary data from a self-weighting nationally representative sample of the 2009 Zambia Sexual Behaviour Survey. Chi-squared tests and binary logistic regression were carried out using SPSS version 18.0 and p-values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: General knowledge about HIV and AIDS was high (98 percent). However, comprehensive correct was considerably low among youths (43 percent). This is in spite youths full general knowledge and the ABCs of HIV and AIDS prevention. Attitudes towards PLHIV, Condom use and HIV counseling and testing were negative. Youths with comprehensive correct knowledge on HIV and AIDS had increased odds of having positive attitudes towards use of condoms during sexual intercourse (AOR=1.645; p<0.001). Female youths were (AOR=3.934; p<0.001) more likely to have tested for HIV than males. Youths without education had increased odds of not using a condom with their most recent sexual partner than those with secondary and higher education (AOR=6.635; P=). CONCLUSION: Though HIV and AIDS general knowledge by youths was high, comprehensive correct knowledge, positive attitudes and behaviour were considerably low or poor. Gender educational, age and place of residence acts as explanatory variables in the observed negative attitudes and behaviours among youths in Zambia.