Towards Achieving the Kenya National HIV/AIDs Communication Strategy: Knowledge and Awareness levels on HIV/AIDS of youths in Secondary Schools - A Case of Eldoret West District

Research Paper (postgraduate) from the year 2011 in the subject Medicine - Epidemiology, , course: -, language: English, abstract: The main objective this study was to find out the level of knowledge and awareness of youths in secondary schools on HIV/AIDs as one of the objectives in achieving the Kenya National HIV/AIDS communication strategy. Adopting a survey design, qualitative techniques, questionnaires, interviews and documentation, a sample of 996 was selected from a target population of 8,354 students. The study was based on a theoretical and conceptual framework with key concepts derived from Harold Lasswel theory of 1948, which has been developed to Modern Communication Theory. The data was analysed thematically. Results indicate that about (99%) of the respondents had heard about AIDS compared to only 4 (1%) who had not. Knowledge had no statistically significant relationship with risk of HIV and AIDS. About 53.3% of the respondents reported to have had sex, with males being more likely to have an early sexual debut. Sexual activity was higher among peri-urban respondents (37%) who also had more than 3 sexual partners. About 71.4% of the respondents were willing to change their behaviour to avoid contracting HIV. On bivariate analysis, exposure to risk factors was dependent on gender (p