Sexual Behavior and Risk Perception of HIV Infection among Young Adults in Dessie Town

Tesfaye, Girma (2008) Sexual Behavior and Risk Perception of HIV Infection among Young Adults in Dessie Town. Masters thesis, Addis Ababa University.

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Abstract

Available studies indicate that, sometimes people do not perceive their risk of HIV adequately and therefore, they are less motivated to protect themselves and others from HIV infection. In Dessie town, as in many other Ethiopian towns, city and other settings of the world too, the sexual behaviors and self assessment of the risk of HIV infection of the current cohort of young people will strongly influence the course of HIV/AIDS. The purpose of this study is just to identify the socio-economic and behavioral factors that affect risk perception of HIV infection among young adults in the age 15- 29 years. Method: this study is a cross-sectional survey research that was conducted in Amhara Region, Dessie town. A total of 721 youths in the age group 15-29 were selected using cluster sampling method followed by simple random sampling method. A self-administered survey questionnaire, FGDs and interview with key informants were the methods used to collect the required data from the study participants. The collected data were edited, entered, cleaned and analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariateanalysis with SPSS. Results show that about half of the study participants are sexually experienced. Of these, 55.6% had sex with one partner only, about a quarter used condom consistently and about 19% had multiple sexual partners and did not use condom. Nearly 12% of the sexually active participants ever had been contracted by one of the STIs. Overall, 7% of males and 11.5% of females perceived high risk of HIV infection; and 12% of male and 15.8% of female respondents perceive themselves to have a medium chance of getting HIV. In general, female respondents were considerably more likely than males to report themselves at a higher risk of HIV infection. Sex, exposure to media, religiosity, age at first sex, the number of life time partner, age difference with partners, condom use, taking HIV test, are found to be the predictors of risk perception of HIV infection among young adults in Dessie town. Conclusions: The findings of this study provide justification for intervention targeting on key factors that influence the risk perception of HIV infection. Providing the necessary and continuous information in a way that could bring about behavioral change among the young adults is recommended.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine
Divisions:	Africana
Depositing User:	Tim Khabala
Date Deposited:	03 Jul 2018 07:42
Last Modified:	03 Jul 2018 07:42
URI:	http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/id/eprint/6474

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