Religiosity, AIDS, and sexuality knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices of black South-African first-year university students

This study investigated the association of religiosity with sexuality and AIDS knowledge, altitudes, beliefs, and practices of 1,817 black first-year students in South Africa. On a structured questionnaire, consenting students rated themselves on scales of religiosity, attitudes toward homosexuality, intrafamilial communication about contraception, AIDS altitudes, and AIDS knowledge. Negative attitudes toward homosexuality were significantly associated with negative attitudes rewards AIDS, high knowledge of AIDS, and high religiosity. Religious commitment diminished propensity to engage in sexual intercourse and delayed age for onset of sexual intercourse.