Community knowledge, attitude and practice towards Sexually Transmitted Diseases and HIV infection in Biharamulo and Muleba districts in Kagera Region, Tanzania
2009
The study was conducted to determine knowledge, attitude and practice
towards Sexually Transmitted Diseases and HIV infections among
communities in Biharamulo and Muleba districts, Kagera Tanzania. A
total of 915 study participants were recruited and most of them (96.3%)
knew that there are diseases which could be transmitted through sexual
contact. Seventy one percent of participants thought STDs could be
acquired through sharing a towel while fifty percent thought HIV could
be transmitted through insect bites. Eighty five percent of school
pupils who participated in the study reported to have been taught about
AIDS and less than 30% on sex and pregnancy. Sixty three percent of
study participants were of the opinion that a girl or woman should not
refuse to have sex after being given a gift, and having sex with an
elder partner was thought to be acceptable by almost fifty percent of
participants. Over 50% percent of interviewees thought a girl or woman
should not refuse to have sex with their friends. Although 99% of
interviewees reported to have ever heard about condoms, only 28%
reported to have ever used them irrespective of been affordable. Most
schoolboys and about 50% of schoolgirls reported to have experienced
sex by the time of the study. Thirty eight percent of girls reported to
have first sex at the age of 14 years. Nine percent of the participants
who reported to have experienced sex were forced to do so. Knowledge
regarding STDs and HIV/AIDS was high among participants, but a sizeable
proportion report misconception on transmission of STDs/HIV such as
through sharing a towel and insect bites. Therefore it is recommended
that S&RH intervention programme should address these
misconceptions in order to match knowledge and practice, and achieve
the intended objectives.
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