Abstract:
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) has a great impact on society, both as an
illness and as a source of discrimination. Numerous social and behavioral factors are involved in the
spread of HIV/AIDS such as prostitution, broken homes, sexual disharmony, easy money, emotional
immaturity, urbanization and industrialization, changing behavioral patterns, social stigma and
alcoholism. Most of the infected people are not aware about their HIV status. Social stigma and
discrimination towards HIV infected people adversely affect voluntary testing for HIV. Lack of
information about the causes and risk factors of AIDS can place a large number of young people at the
risk of acquiring Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection (HIV). Therefore, knowledge regarding
AIDS is an essential precursor of sexual risk reduction. The aim of the study was to assess the influence
of socio demographic and educational related factors in the knowledge of HIV/AIDS among first year
students of the Eastern University, Sri Lanka. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out
among 300 first year students of the Eastern University. Stratified random sampling method was used
to select sample. Self- administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Among the 300
participants, 36.3 % were male and 63.7 % were female. 46.7 % of them were Tamil, 30 %, 20.7%
and 2.7% were Sinhalese, Muslims and Burgers respectively. The mean knowledge score regarding
HIV/AIDS among first year students of the Eastern University was 43.7%. Female students had higher
knowledge than male students. Health care students had higher knowledge than other faculties’
students. All male and female participants were aware that AIDS is a sexually transmitted disease.
There was a significant association between mean knowledge scores of HIV/AIDS and gender,
ethnicity, faculty, stream of A/L study, and source of information obtained (p <0.05). The knowledge
regarding AIDS was average among majority of first year students of the Eastern University.
Knowledge about transmission methods, signs and symptoms and preventive measures of AIDS was
good among all student’s exception in some response.
