Adolescent knowledge and awareness about AIDS/HIV and factors affecting them in Bangladesh

Adolescents are more vulnerable than adults of unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS. Among the adolescents, girls are more vulnerable to STDs including HIV/AIDS. Their knowledge about different diseases is very poor. This paper investigated adolescent's knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS, its mode of transmission and ways of its prevention. Cross sectional study design was adopted for this study. A multistage cluster sampling technique was used to select the sample. Data on 3362 female adolescents irrespective of their marital status was analyzed. The study found that a large proportion of adolescents were not aware about sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS. More than half [54.8%] of the adolescents ever heard about AIDS respectively. On an average, about one tenth of them had better knowledge on AIDS in terms of mode of transmission and prevention. The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that adolescent age, years of schooling and knowledge on STDs appeared to be important predictors of the awareness about AIDS [p<0.05]. Useful and fruitful media campaigns to educate the adolescents regarding the health consequences of STDs including HIV/AIDS and integrated approach is strongly suggested for creating knowledge and awareness to control the spread of HIV and AIDS among young people in Bangladesh

Adolescent self reported reproductive morbidity and health care seeking behaviour

Addressing reproductive health issues of women is now on the global social agenda in the new millennium. Maternal mortality has long been the only indicator of women's health even though reproductive morbidity occurs far more frequently and seriously affects women's lives. In this paper, an attempt was made to assess the magnitude of self reported gynaecological morbidity unrelated to childbearing among the adolescents irrespective of their marital status. The paper also explored the determinants of health care seeking behaviour of the adolescents for their reproductive ailments. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected for this study. Cross sectional study was conducted both in rural and urban areas using a multistage cluster sampling technique. A nationally representative data on 2883 adolescents irrespective of their marital status were analysed. Analysis revealed that a large proportion of the adolescents [64.5%] reportedly has been suffering from gynaecological morbidity. The most frequent form of morbidity was menstrual disorders [63.9%] followed by lower abdominal pain [58.6%], burning sensation during urination [46.1%], genital itching [15.5%], vaginal discharge [3.4%] etc. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that older adolescents aged 15-19 years, family income, type of family, type of residence and hygienic practice during menstruation appeared to be influencing factors for adolescents reproductive morbidity. The results also revealed that about one fifth [18.0%] sought health care for their gynaecological ailments indicating that adolescents were unaware about their reproductive morbidity [p<0.05]. For assessing the factors influencing their health care seeking for reproductive morbidity, multivariate logistic regression analysis found significant positive association with adolescents aged 15-19 years, having autonomy in treatment, working status, adolescents of joint or extended family [p<0.05]. Discussion: Adolescent reproductive health in Bangladesh indicates high incidence of maternal morbidity. The incidence of these health problems varied by socio-economic and demographic characteristics of the adolescents. Recommendations to address these problems include encouragement of female education, introduction of family life education in school curricula, creating community awareness for seeking health care and empowerment of women in household decision making process