Abstract
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome caused by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) poses a severe challenge to healthcare and is a significant public health issue worldwide. This study intends to examine the change in the awareness level of HIV among adolescents. Furthermore, this study examined the factors associated with the change in awareness level on HIV-related information among adolescents over the period. Data used for this study were drawn from Understanding the lives of adolescents and young adults, a longitudinal survey on adolescents aged 10–19 in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. The present study utilized a sample of 4421 and 7587 unmarried adolescent boys and girls, respectively aged 10–19 years in wave-1 and wave-2. Descriptive analysis and t-test and proportion test were done to observe changes in certain selected variables from wave-1 (2015–2016) to wave-2 (2018–2019). Moreover, random effect regression analysis was used to estimate the association of change in HIV awareness among unmarried adolescents with household and individual factors. The percentage of adolescent boys who had awareness regarding HIV increased from 38.6% in wave-1 to 59.9% in wave-2. Among adolescent girls, the percentage increased from 30.2 to 39.1% between wave-1 & wave-2. With the increase in age and years of schooling, the HIV awareness increased among adolescent boys ([Coef: 0.05; p < 0.01] and [Coef: 0.04; p < 0.01]) and girls ([Coef: 0.03; p < 0.01] and [Coef: 0.04; p < 0.01]), respectively. The adolescent boys [Coef: 0.06; p < 0.05] and girls [Coef: 0.03; p < 0.05] who had any mass media exposure were more likely to have an awareness of HIV. Adolescent boys' paid work status was inversely associated with HIV awareness [Coef: − 0.01; p < 0.10]. Use of internet among adolescent boys [Coef: 0.18; p < 0.01] and girls [Coef: 0.14; p < 0.01] was positively associated with HIV awareness with reference to their counterparts. There is a need to intensify efforts in ensuring that information regarding HIV should reach vulnerable sub-groups, as outlined in this study. It is important to mobilize the available resources to target the less educated and poor adolescents, focusing on rural adolescents.
Highlights
Background characteristics Wealth Index Poorest PoorerMiddle Richer Richest Religion Hindu Non-Hindu Caste SC/ST OBC Others Place of residence Urban Rural States Uttar Pradesh Bihar Total Adolescent boys Adolescent girlsSample Percentage Sample Percentage Percentage 0.0 wave-1wave-2 wave-1 Adolescent girls wave-2
The estimates are from the baseline dataset, and it was assumed that none of the household characteristics changed over time among adolescent boys and girls
The percentage of adolescent boys who had awareness regarding Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) increased from 38.6% in wave-1 to 59.9% in wave-2
Summary
Use of the internet among adolescent boys [Coef: 0.18; p < 0.01] and girls [Coef: 0.14; p < 0.01] was positively associated with HIV awareness in reference to their counterparts. Adolescent boys [Coef: − 0.03; p < 0.01] and girls [Coef: − 0.09; p < 0.01] from a rural place of residence had a lower likelihood to be aware about HIV in reference to those from the urban place of residence. Adolescent boys [Coef: 0.04; p < 0.01] and girls [Coef: 0.02; p < 0.01] from Bihar had a higher likelihood to be aware about HIV in reference to those from Uttar Pradesh
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