ABSTRACT
<B>Objective</B><BR>Despite the steady high prevalence of infectious diseases, Sri Lanka has an increasing awareness of lifestyle-related health diseases. To lower their risks in the future, making better lifestyle choices and establishing patterns of healthy behavior during young adulthood are essential. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore current issues of university students' health behaviors and their environments.<BR><B>Methods</B><BR>The study was conducted in a university of the Central Province, Sri Lanka. Four graduate students in the Faculty of Medicine and three senior students in the Faculty of the Arts were interviewed in a focus group. Interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed inductively.<BR><B>Results</B><BR>The results yielded three core categories: little interests in health, unhealthy lifestyles, and lower usage of the Student Health Center. In addition, three major health problems were observed among the participants: eating habits, substance use, and mental health. Students had little paid attention to their health. It also showed passive participation on a health check-up. Additionally students' hidden risky behaviors were observed: alcohol intake and smoking. Mental health problem is one of the great health concerns among the students. Although the School Health Center was available, the gaps between its provisions of services and students' needs are an important issue.<BR><B>Discussion and Conclusion</B><BR>Students need to pay more attention on their health conditions and the importance of preventive health. Furthermore, to improve the current university health services, accessibility, usability, and students' needs should be carefully reviewed in the context of advocacy of preventive health behaviors.
ABSTRACT
<b>Introduction</b><br> Recent strategic plans for HIV/AIDS control in Sri Lanka have stressed the need to focus prevention interventions on most-at-risk populations and similarly laid out the importance of improving HIV/AIDS awareness among the general population. Programmatic attention has to be strengthened to effectively change AIDS-related poor knowledge, low risk perceptions and risky sexual practices at the individual level, and avert an epidemic. While current data on at-risk populations are available to inform interventions, there is paucity of latest evidence for the general population programs.<br><b>Methods</b><br> In April-May 2009, a cross-sectional study involving 1,239 population-based and randomly selected respondents aged 15-49 was completed in Kandy, Sri Lanka (response rate=87.2%). The study collected data on HIV/AIDS knowledge, perceptions and sexual practices among the general population to supply current information for the intervention. Data were analyzed using univariate, bivariate and multivariate approaches. <br><b>Results</b><br> While almost all respondents were aware of HIV/AIDS, sizeable proportions (44.7-76.2%) knew little about the types of sexually transmitted infections, and about the transmission modes and prevention methods of HIV/AIDS. Although 80% of respondents had low risk perceptions and were mostly at low risk behaviorally, their knowledge of HIV/AIDS was inadequate. They assessed their risks and practiced unsafer sex without the benefit of having evidence-based knowledge. The knowledge, perceptions and practices were significantly associated with gender, marital status, education, religion, and/or residence.<br><b>Conclusions</b><br> The gaps in substantive knowledge on HIV/AIDS suggest that no effective information and other related types of support have been provided to the general population in Sri Lanka. In the context of the need to contribute to sustaining the low prevalence of HIV in the country, a base of scientific knowledge and wider advocacy programs should be developed.