Knowledge Regarding HIV/AIDS among Nepalese Army

Journal of Chitwan Medical College, 2015

HIV/AIDS has killed more than 25 million people since it was first recognized in 1981, making it one of the most destructive epidemics in recorded history. It is an increasing public health problem of the people in the world. A descriptive study was carried out in 2013 at Jajarkot district of Nepal, to assess the knowledge of HIV/AIDS among adolescents of higher secondary school. Facilitator based self administered questionnaire was distributed among 150 students who were selected through simple random technique lottery method. The study showed that majority of the respondents had knowledge about HIV/AIDS and more than two third (77.3%) had knowledge about the causative agent of the disease. Regarding the transmission of disease, majority (94.7%) had responded through needle sharing and 93.3% respondents responded through contamination of blood. Highest percent of respondent (51%) had knowledge in symptoms i.e. weight loss. Majority had knowledge that condom use during sexual interc...

IOSR Journal of Nursing and Health Science, 2017

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that infects cells of the immune system, destroying or impairing their function. The most advanced stage of HIV infection is acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) remains a public health problem of major significance in most parts of the world. The first HIV infection was detected in 1988 in Nepal. Since then HIV and AIDS epidemic has evolved from low to concentrated among "high risk behavior groups". The objective of this study was to find out knowledge on HIV-AIDS and assess the types of behavior that places them at risk of contracting HIV-AIDS in Saptari and Jhapa district of Nepal. This was the cross sectional descriptive study carried out among 457 high risk behavior groups, who come for treatment at VCT centres of both district. Multi stage sampling was adopted and data were collected using a pre-tested interview schedule. The study reported that majority of respondents (72.65 %) was fully correct about HIV and (73.30%) about AIDS. Majority of respondents (91.90 %) had using condom. Around 36.54 % reported to have undergone the initiation of experience sex much earlier at < 15 years of age. More than half of the respondents (56.02 %) had used alcohol during sexual activity. Respondents had high practices (96.50 %) of condom use among the respondents who had knowledge about HIV. There is significant association between knowledge about HIV and practice of condom use (Cal χ 20.05,1 = 199.10 > Tab χ 20.05,1, p= 0.000). Practice of addiction, injecting drugs without doctor's prescription, use of alcohol during sexual activity, negligence to use condom, early age at first sex, and use of intoxicating drugs were found the major types of behavior that places the respondents at risk of contracting HIV-AIDS. Based on the results of the study and experiences, it seems to conduct different activities as increase the awareness of HIV-AIDS to make high risk behavior groups aware from the comprehensive knowledge of transmission of HIV-AIDS, awareness program to promote safer sexual practices, Prevention programs for consistent use of condom, Free condom distribution programs through NGOs/ health workers/ volunteers to cover the target population etc.

Humanities and Social Sciences Journal, 2022

This research paper has analyzed the individual and cultural factors related to comprehensive knowledge of HIV transmission. Secondary and primary data are used to identify the individual and cultural factors of comprehensive knowledge of HIV/AIDS among women in Nepal. Secondary source of quantitative data is based on NDHS, 2011 and 2016 whereas qualitative data collected from Nam Nagar of Naalparasi (Susta West) district. The total sample size of NDHS 2011 (N=12674) and 2016 (N=12862) are large and nationally representative. The study reveals that only 20 percent of women have comprehensive knowledge of HIV/AIDS. The individual cultural factor such as native language of women[OR= 3.34 (2.21-5.05) in 2011 and OR= 1.47 (1.01-2.13) in 2016] and ethnicity[OR= 1.90 (0.90-3.96) in 2011 and OR= 1.74 (1.10-2.74) in 2016] are the influential factors for comprehensive knowledge of HIV/AIDS. Beside these, socially constructed knowledge of HIV/AIDS has been determining the misconception of HIV transmission. The lower level of comprehensive knowledge is trigger by the cross-cultural context of women in Nepal.

Journal of Kathmandu Medical College, 2017

Background: Sexual minorities are at high risk of contracting and spreading HIV/AIDS. Several studies in Nepal and around the world depict issues of HIV/AIDS and other problems of sexual minorities.Objective: The present study was carried out with the aim to investigate and evaluate knowledge and attitude of sexual minorities regarding HIV/AIDS.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted for a period of eight months starting from June 2009. Sixty six respondents accomplished quantitative interviews and face-to-face interviewer-administered demographic, knowledge and attitude of HIV/AIDS survey. Descriptive and inferential analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 16. A five point Likert scale was used to assess attitude of the respondents. Pearson’s chi-square test was used to compare the association between knowledge and selected socio-demographic variables. Spearman’s correlation test was used to make out the degree of relationship between knowledg...

SAARC Journal of Tuberculosis, Lung Diseases and …, 2012

Public Health, 2007

Background: Secondary education holds pivotal position in education system of every country, for it is terminal stage for most of students and it also serves as a linkage stage between elementary stage and higher education. There are two sectors working side by side in the field of secondary education, i.e. private sector and government sector in many countries. Private schools are not out performed in developed countries even in poor areas of developing countries. One in five Nepal's is sexually active before the age of fifteen. School children of today are exposed to the risk of being victims of HIV/AIDS. Methodology: The quantitative descriptive cross-sectionals study was used to identify knowledge on HIV/AIDS among secondary level student in Sandhikharkha VDC of Arghakhanchi. One public school and one private school were selected by convenience sampling methods. A total of 120 Sample was taken through simple random method from the total students of 9 and 10 classes of selected school. The data has been analyzed by using compared t test. Results: The Mean knowledge of private school was 7.433+1.33 and 8.783+1.41 for government school. There is significant difference between mean score knowledge on mode of transmission, signs and symptoms, prevention and control and high risk groups of HIV/AIDS of government and private schools. Conclusion: There is not any significant difference between the knowledge score of government and private secondary level student of Shandikharka, Arghakahnchi. These need to be addressed by health education programmes targeting those at higher risk.

Medical Journal of Shree Birendra Hospital, 2016

Introduction: HIV/AIDS is a serious health problem all across the world. The modes of HIV transmission are unprotected sex with infected individual, injection or transfusion of HIV infected blood or blood products, donations of infected semen, organ transplants taken from an infected person and sharing of unsterilized injection equipment. The alarmingly increasing rate of prevalence of HIV among the youths due to engagement in high risk behaviors show that there is a desperate need for assessments to be conducted to ascertain the existing knowledge, attitudes and sexual practices of youths. Methods: One group pre and post-test experimental research design was adopted for the study. The pretest study was conducted on 4 December, 2012; followed by post- test study after two weeks. The study group was provided with course on HIV/AIDS between the tests. The study was carried out in 121 students of nursing assistants of Shree Birendra Hospital. Results: The findings show that the level ...

2021

Clients’ knowledge of HIV/AIDS is identified as one of the key factors strongly associated with higher risk of non-adherence. However, accurate data on knowledge of HIV/AIDS among the clients visiting ART sites in Nepal are lacking. This study aims to investigate the knowledge of ART clients on HIV/AIDS. A crosssectional survey of 69 ART clients visiting five different ART clinics was done using interviewer-administered questionnaire. Patients who answered ≥9 answers correctly (≥75%) were categorized under adequate knowledge and those who answered &lt;9 questions correctly (&lt;75%) were categorized under inadequate knowledge. Majority of the clients (n=67, 98.5%) possessed an inadequate knowledge about HIV/AIDS. Of total, 76.8% believed that HIV/AIDS could possibly be a hereditary disease, 91.3% presumed about the existence of a vaccine for the disease, 66.7% were unaware about breastfeeding being a viable way of transmitting the virus. Erroneous understanding of the term ‘window p...

In the context of the rising HIV/AIDS cases in Nepal, including among young people, more studies are needed to understand areas in which stronger HIV/AIDS prevention and education efforts are needed. This cross-sectional study examined the knowledge and perceptions of HIV/AIDS among school-going adolescents in two secondary schools in the countryside of Lalitpur district in Nepal. A total of 151 respondents were interviewed via a selfadministered questionnaire. Focus group discussions were also carried out to generate some qualitative evidence on perceptions. More than of half of the respondents were female and most were 16 years of age and younger. More than half belonged to Janajati ethnic group. Two-thirds had parents working in agriculture. Nearly 70% were from nuclear family. Results suggest that most school-going adolescents had a fair to good level of knowledge on HIV/AIDS, but among the group, there were considerable numbers with no or inaccurate knowledge, or with misconceptions. Clients with sex workers were perceived to be the group most-at-risk for HIV infection. Respondents and participants from the focus group discussions generally had positive attitudes towards the people living with HIV/AIDS, albeit some of their perceptions tended to reflect that they held some form of negative attitudes towards HIV+ persons. HIV/AIDS prevention and education at the grassroots level is needed in order to both sustain the high knowledge level and appropriate perceptions and to modify gaps in both cognitive and perceptual dimensions.