Evaluation of Young People's Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviour Regarding HIV/AIDS in Isangi, DR Congo

Abstract

Background: Over 50% of young people between the ages of 15 and 24 are affected by HIV. This state of affairs is destroying youth, threatening the country's future and jeopardizing national development. The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of young people in the city of Isangi with regard to HIV/AIDS. Materials and Methods: To collect the data, this descriptive cross-sectional study used a questionnaire administered to a non-probability convenience sample of 70 young people aged 16 to 20. The descriptive analysis enabled us to compare our results with previous work. Results: We observed that the average age of our respondents was 18, with a sex ratio of 1.4 in favor of males. 95% of young people had already heard of AIDS. Over 65% of subjects have acceptable knowledge of the risk of contracting HIV, the route of transmission and condom use. Prevention of mother-to-child transmission and voluntary testing were recognized. 70% of young people agreed to take care of a PLHIV in their family while keeping his or her serostatus secret (75.7%). For 40% of subjects, it is not normal for a woman to refuse to have sex with her unfaithful partner; she can demand a condom. Conclusion: To reduce HIV transmission among young people, an information and education program is needed.