HIV/AIDS knowledge, behaviour and beliefs among South African university students

Abstract

Globally, South Africa has the highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS. In the absence of cure, prevention is the only available method to reduce HIV prevalence rates. This can only be obtained through behavioural change, which is associated with a good knowledge about HIV. The study aims to determine the knowledge, beliefs, behaviours and sources of HIV and AIDS information among university students at two tertiary institutions in South Africa. The study was a quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive and comparative survey. Students from the Western Cape Province and the KwaZulu-Natal Province participated in the study. The main findings of the study were that although students had an adequate general knowledge on HIV/AIDS, both groups scored the lowest in the transmission modes of HIV. The media was the main source of HIV/AIDS information for students and university health care facilities need to be more proactive in informing students about the transmission of HIV/AIDS.