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 althoughstudents 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