Analysis of the Competence in Prevention of the Spread of HIV Infection among High School Students of the Nizhny Novgorod Region

Abstract

Introduction: Solution of the problem of prevention of the spread of HIV infection among adolescents and young adults is associated, inter alia, with systemic implementation of primary prevention strategies in educational establishments aimed at developing the necessary level of expertise in health risk management in students. The objective of our study was to determine the level of competence of adolescents in the field of HIV spread prevention Materials and methods: The technique of an online survey was used to establish the competence of high school students aged 15–17 living in the Nizhny Novgorod Region and to compare its level between boys and girls. Results: The level of competence was determined by four basic scales (emotional, cognitive, practical, and the scale of actions) and the additional scale of erudition. The level of general competence of the respondents was found to be high. Girls had significantly higher scores by all scales (p < 0.001) compared to boys. The erudition component was most prominent in both subgroups. The emotional component (empathy) was more important for girls. We noted differences in the significance of individual aspects of the assessed competence. Of the four priority strategies of HIV epidemic spread prevention, the respondents chose health care management and effective interaction of responsible structures as key factors in disease spread stop (р < 0.001). Conclusion: Promoting competence in HIV spread prevention among students for their effective social interaction in HIV related issues is an important outcome of preventive activities at schools. The content and forms of their implementation should facilitate students’ ability and readiness to self-protection, self-improvement, and mastering skills of predictive behaviour. Evaluating the level of competence and intensity of its components, setting priorities in choosing areas of applying efforts to reduce the risk of HIV epidemic growth can make prevention efforts more targeted.