Knowledge, attitudes to HIV/AIDS and sexual behaviour of students in a tertiary institution in south-western Nigeria

Objective To determine the knowledge, attitude and sexual behaviour of students in a tertiary institution in south western Nigeria with regard to HIV/AIDS. Methods Descriptive cross-sectional survey conducted between January and March 2005. Information was collected from 368 students of a tertiary institution in Ede, Osun State, Nigeria. Participants were selected by a multi-stage sampling method and data obtained using a semi-structured pre-tested questionnaire. Results Most (89.4%) respondents were aware of the existence of HIV/AIDS, and knew the aetiology, routes of transmission, signs and symptoms, and preventive measures against the disease. While a little over half (59.8%) of the respondents revealed that they could hug people with HIV/AIDS, one out of four (27.2%) stated that these persons should be isolated from the community. Less than a quarter (22.3%) of the respondents believed that they were vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. More than half (58.2%) had ever had sex; the mean age at their first sexual exposure (for all respondents) was 16.7 +/- 4.4 years. Almost half (48.2%) of the 191 currently sexually active respondents had multiple sexual partners. Of the sexually active respondents, 75.9% claimed to have ever used condoms; among these, male respondents were more likely to have ever used condoms than their female counterparts (p < 0.05). Conclusion The study revealed a gap in the knowledge of HIV/AIDS and an inappropriate sexual behaviour among respondents. Meaningful strategies, such as an innovative and culturally sensitive adolescent sexual and reproductive health programme that focuses on modification of sexual behaviour should be adopted to allow young people to prevent transmission of the HIV/AIDS virus.