Human Immunodeficiency Virus Attitudes Research Articles

Awareness, attendance, and attitudes toward cervical cancer screening among HIV-positive Chinese women in Yunnan province: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundCervical cancer is a major health threat in the female population. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive women encounter a higher risk of cervical cancer. It is significant to promote cervical cancer screening attendance among HIV-positive women. Little is known about the awareness, attendance, and attitudes toward cervical cancer screening, as well as the associated factors, among Chinese HIV-positive women.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 411 HIV-positive women attending a large ART clinic in Yunnan, an HIV-endemic province in China. Participants were recruited using the convenient sampling method from January 2019 to August 2020. An interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaire was utilized to collect information on socio-demographic and behavioral characteristics, clinical characteristics related to HIV infection, awareness, attendance, and attitudes toward cervical cancer screening. Binary logistic regression analyses were used to determine factors associated with awareness, attendance, and attitude toward cervical cancer screening.ResultsSome 69.8% (287) of the participants were aware of cervical cancer screening, but only 27.7% (114) had attended screening within 3 years. After receiving a brief health education, 72.3% (297) of the participants exhibited a positive attitude toward cervical cancer screening. Participants with a higher education background and longer duration of antiretroviral therapy were more likely to be aware of cervical cancer screening and have up-to-date screening. The up-to-date screening attendance was also influenced by age, smoking status, and health insurance. Single participants were less likely to show a positive attitude toward cervical cancer screening compared married or cohabiting counterparts. The main facilitators to attending cervical cancer screening were health promotion activity and well-organized programs, while the main barriers were high costs of the service and inadequate awareness.ConclusionsAlthough most HIV-positive women attending a large ART clinic in Yunnan were aware of cervical cancer screening, the up-to-date attendance was low. It is crucial to conduct health education and promotion through efficient channels to improve awareness and attendance. The discrepancy between awareness and attendance also emphasized the importance of adopting appropriate screening strategies and powerful health policies that can foster the attendance of cervical cancer screening among HIV-positive women. Efforts should be devoted to constructing a comprehensive healthcare system with high accessibility in China for cervical cancer prevention and management for HIV-positive women.

Improving HIV stigma in the marginalized population in Khorramabad, Iran: A single-blinded randomized, controlled educational trial using role-playing and lecturing.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of role-playing and lecture on improving the attitudes of the Khorramabad suburban population toward the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In 2019, 270 people aged 18 and above participated in a randomized controlled trial in Khorramabad, Iran. Individuals were randomly assigned to one of three groups: role-playing, lecture, or control. To collect data before and after the intervention, we used a standard HIV knowledge and attitude questionnaire. Before the educational intervention, three marginalized groups' attitudes toward HIV were stigmatized. After the intervention, the attitudes of both the role-playing and lecture groups improved significantly relative to the control group (P<0.0001); there was no significant difference between the two methods (P>0.05). The correlation between attitude and knowledge scores was positive (P<0.0001). This study demonstrates that education is a fundamental pillar of improving attitudes toward people living with HIV (PLHIV) and can reduce stigma against them, thereby increasing their desire to disclose their condition and seek medical care. Trial registration: The trial registration code is IRCTID: IRCT20190807044467N1 (https://en.irct.ir/trial/41464).

Perceptions and attitudes regarding HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among dermatology clinicians and trainees.

In 2020, over 1.2 million people were at risk of acquiring human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), though only 25% were prescribed pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Given the multitude of dermatologic manifestations of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, dermatologic care can serve as the entry point to the HIV care continuum. Currently, there is limited data on specialists' perspectives on HIV PrEP prescribing. We aimed to survey clinicians and trainees in an academic dermatology department about HIV PrEP-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Survey questions were adapted from existing literature on HIV stigma and PrEP-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Composite scores for each domain were averaged and compared between clinicians and trainees using Wilcoxon's signed rank test or Fisher's exact test. Of 135 providers invited, 31 (23%) completed the survey (11 clinicians and 20 trainees). Of the 31 participants, 16 (52%) had specialized HIV experience and training. When asked about discriminatory beliefs, nine participants (29%) agreed that HIV infection is a "consequence of irresponsible behavior." PrEP knowledge was low, with 13 (42%) participants answering zero out of 3 PrEP knowledge questions correctly. Additionally, 10 (91%) clinicians reported poor knowledge of PrEP side effects, and eight clinicians (73%) indicated they were "not comfortable at all" in prescribing PrEP. No participant had prescribed PrEP, and 22 (70%) participants had never discussed PrEP with patients. Dermatology clinicians and trainees reported some levels of HIV stigma. Substantial gaps in PrEP knowledge and discussion were reported despite prior HIV discrimination training and HIV-related practice experience. Study limitations include a small sample size and a modest response rate. Addressing stigma among dermatologists and improving HIV PrEP education is vital to enhancing the healthcare outcomes of people living with HIV.

Individual-, household-, and community-level factors associated with pregnant married women's discriminatory attitude towards people living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa: A multicountry cross-sectional study.

Background and AimsDiscriminatory attitude towards people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains a major problem in the prevention and treatment of HIV in sub‐Sahara Africa (SSA). Understanding the multiple factors linked to discriminatory attitude towards people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in SSA is necessary for developing appropriate interventions. This study aimed at investigating the individual, household, and community‐level factors associated with pregnant married women's discriminatory attitude towards people living with HIV/AIDS.MethodsWe used data from the Demographic and Health Surveys of 12 sub‐Saharan African countries conducted between 2015 and 2019. Data on 17 065 pregnant married women were analyzed. Bivariate (chi‐squared test) and multivariable multilevel logistic regression analyses were applied to investigate the factors associated with discriminatory attitude towards PLWHA. The results were reported as adjusted odds ratio (aOR) at 95% confidence interval (CI).ResultsThe mean age of participants was 31.2 ± 8.5. The prevalence of discriminatory attitude towards PLWHA was 36.2% (95% CI: 33.4%‐39.1%). Individual/household‐level factors associated with discriminatory attitude towards PLWHA were women's educational level (secondary school‐aOR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.26‐0.93), husband's educational level (higher education‐aOR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.16‐0.76), decision‐making power (yes‐aOR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.38‐0.69), wife‐beating attitude (disagreement with wife beating‐aOR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.43‐0.79), and religion (Muslim‐aOR = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.22‐3.04). Community socioeconomic status (medium‐aOR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.41‐0.93) was the only community‐level factor associated with discriminatory attitude towards PLWHA.ConclusionMore than one‐third of pregnant married women in SSA had discriminatory attitude towards PLWHA. Women's educational level, husband's educational level, decision‐making power, wife‐beating attitude, religion, and community socio‐economic status were associated with discriminatory attitude towards PLWHA. To lessen the prevalence of discriminatory attitude towards PLWHA, considering these significant factors is needed. Therefore, governments and other stakeholders in the respective countries need to increase education coverage. Moreover, empowering women through education and economy is crucial. Finally, working with religious leaders to increase awareness about HIV and discriminatory attitude towards PLWHA should also be a priority in SSA.

HIV knowledge, risk perception, and testing behaviors among college students in South Carolina

Objective: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains a critical public health challenge and disproportionately affects young adults, racial minorities, and residents of the Southern United States. This study aimed to investigate HIV knowledge, risk perception, and testing behaviors among a sample of college students in South Carolina (SC). Participants: Undergraduate students (N = 256) from a large public university in SC. Methods: Participants completed a cross-sectional survey on HIV knowledge, testing behaviors, and attitudes. Results: More than one-third of participants displayed misunderstanding about HIV transmission. Less than 20% perceived themselves to be at-risk for HIV, and only 8% reported having ever been tested for HIV. In addition, a majority of participants (83%) reported they would feel ashamed if they acquired HIV. HIV knowledge was negatively correlated with HIV testing. Conclusions: Results indicate the need for HIV education among college students in SC to clear misconceptions, minimize knowledge gaps, reduce HIV-related stigma, and promote HIV testing.

HIV Epidemic in Libya: Identifying Gaps

Background:HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) became a public issue in Libya after the infection of 400 children in El-Fatih Hospital in 1988. Due to the civil war, social and religious barriers, HIV prevalence is hard to establish, but it is generally believed to be increasing.Objective:This review (a) assesses the size and scope of the available literature on the HIV epidemic in Libya; and, (b) identifies the nature and extent of research conducted to date.Methods:A comprehensive search was performed using PubMed, Medline, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Academic Search Ultimate, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar. Primary research studies and official reports that are exclusively on Libya published during 1988−2021 were considered.Results:In total 25 studies were included: Ten primary research studies, four online news articles, six Government reports, one letter to the editor, one manuscript, three online databasesConclusion:Despite the low-quality data, the literature suggests there is an increase in HIV infection rates in Libya. Culturally sensitive research on sexual activities, women, HIV preventative methods and attitudes of the Libyan public will assist in developing an effective National AIDS Programme, reducing HIV stigma, supporting People Living with HIV (PLHIV) and decreasing infection rates.

Attitudes and Practice of Health Care Workers about Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Isfahan, Iran.

Background:Health Care Workers (HCWs) play a key role in the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevention program, care and treat People Living with HIV (PLHIV). The evaluation of the attitude and performance among HCWs is regarded as one effective method for preventing the (HIV) spreading. This study was aimed to assess the attitude and practice of HCWs about HIV in Isfahan.Materials and Methods:In a cross-sectional study, we recruited 350 eligible participants from five academic hospitals, three academics dental clinics and six health centers by the convenience multistage sampling. A standard questionnaire was used to evaluate HIV attitudes among the HCWs in Isfahan. The variables were compared between males and females by Chi-square and t-test. In addition, linear and logistic regression was utilized to investigate the factors affecting attitude.Results:Respondents had a moderate level of attitude toward PLHIV About 2.00% of the respondents had a good attitude. Marital status (β=-11.79, p = 0.048) was associated with attitude. Among women, wearing gloves was associated with attitude (β=5.96, p = 0.041).Conclusions:HIV attitude was not satisfactory among the HCWs in Isfahan. Therefore, the necessary measures and training are needed to improve the attitudes of health personnel and reduce stigma and discrimination toward PLHIV in health systems. Also, it is recommended to strongly monitor HIV infection control guidelines and instruction.

Evaluating HIV Knowledge and Attitudes in First-Year Medical Students: Pre- and Post-Targeted Education Module

Background: Many medical schools encourage participation in clinics where human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing should be performed in light of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2006 recommendations. It has been shown that preclinical medical students have knowledge gaps and/or stigmatizing attitudes that may compromise their care of patients living with HIV. This initiative sought to develop a training module to address these knowledge gaps and evaluate the efficacy of the module in remedying them.Methods: A training module was developed from evidence-based sources. A test consisting of previously validated questions was administered to first-year medical students at Georgetown University as a pre-test and post-test with the training module viewed in between. A paired t-test was performed to determine if statistical significance existed between the pre- and post-training scores.Results: A total of 158 medical students completed the training. A statistically significant difference was found between the overall pre- and post-training mean scores (p&lt; 0.0001). Improvement of knowledge regarding viral suppression, transmission routes, and treatment were statistically significant from pre- to post-test. There were no statistically significant improvements, pre- and post-test, for questions assessing the knowledge of relative transmission and stigma.Conclusions: The education module is an effective way of targeting preclinical medical students’ knowledge deficits, suggesting that the module should be offered to preclinical students working in a clinic performing HIV testing.

National Survey of United States Human Immunodeficiency Virus Medical Providers' Knowledge and Attitudes About the Affordable Care Act.

BackgroundThe Affordable Care Act (ACA) affects United States’ healthcare by offering Medicaid expansion and tax subsidies to persons with low incomes, and its interaction with the current human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) healthcare delivery system is complex. The objective was to explore HIV medical providers’ knowledge and attitudes about the ACA.MethodsHIV medical providers were emailed a weblink to a survey. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U tests, and binary logistic regression were performed.ResultsOf the 253 survey participants, the majority (61%) answered all 4 knowledge questions correctly. About 70% knew whether or not their state had decided to expand Medicaid. About 1 in 10 did not know if the ACA eliminated the Ryan White Program. When rating whether the ACA would improve their patients’ HIV outcomes from 1–5 with 5 as “strongly agree,” the providers’ mean responses varied by state Medicaid status: 3.78 (standard deviation [SD], 0.83) for Medicaid expansion compared with 3.37 (SD, 1.00) for Medicaid nonexpansion (P = .002). Adjusting for medical provider type, years of HIV practice, and sources of ACA information, correct ACA knowledge was associated with providing care in a Medicaid nonexpansion state (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11–3.88), obtaining knowledge from case managers (aOR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.03–3.48), and obtaining knowledge from newspapers/magazines (aOR, 1.94; 95% CI, .99–3.81).ConclusionsMedical providers in Medicaid expansion states were more optimistic about the ACA’s likelihood to improve their patients’ HIV outcomes. There are gaps in HIV medical providers’ understanding of the ACA. Education could enhance systems-based practice.

HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis in the U.S. Military Services - 2014-2016.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is a substantial health concern for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and for service members stationed throughout the world. Each year, approximately 350 new HIV infections are diagnosed in members of the U.S. military services, with most infections acquired within the United States (1). The DoD populations most affected by HIV mirror those in the U.S. civilian population; the highest rates of new military diagnoses are in men and blacks or African Americans (blacks) (1). Blacks are disproportionally affected, and most new diagnoses occur among men who have sex with men (MSM). HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is approximately 90% effective in preventing HIV infection when used properly (2), and an increasing number of active duty personnel have used HIV prevention services and PrEP in the military health system since the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"* in 2011 (3). Military health system and service records were reviewed to describe HIV PrEP use among military personnel, and military health care providers were surveyed to assess HIV PrEP knowledge and attitudes. Among 769 service members prescribed PrEP during February 1, 2014-June 10, 2016, 60% received prescriptions from an infectious disease provider, 19% were black men, and 42% were aged >28 years. Half of surveyed military health care providers self-rated their PrEP knowledge as poor. DoD is developing new policy to address access to care challenges by defining requirements and establishing pathways for universal patient access to PrEP.

HIV Primary Care Curriculum Improves HIV Knowledge, Confidence and Attitudes

Abstract To meet the goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy and the need for a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-competent primary care workforce, education and training of nurse practitioners are critical. The University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing developed and implemented an HIV primary care curriculum and evaluated this curriculum for a graduating cohort of 55 students. Results show gains in students’ HIV knowledge and confidence in providing basic HIV care and improvements in attitudes toward people living with HIV. We have been able to show that HIV content can be successfully integrated into a nurse practitioner generalist curriculum.

HIV Knowledge, Attitude, and Perception Among University Students

Young people aged between 13 to 29 were contributed to the total of 34% of the cumulative infection Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in Malaysia. The purpose of this study is to determine the level of knowledge, attitude, and perception among students in the University. Research design is cross-sectional. Questionnaire were distributed to 372 respondents. Therefore, 52.4 percent students had a good knowledge. There was positive weak correlation between KA (r =0.23) and KP (r=0.19) with significance (p&lt;0.05). Conclusion, increase in the level of knowledge were contribute to the positive attitude and perception also reduce the stigma and discrimination toward people living with HIV/AIDS.

HIV related knowledge and attitude among nurses and paramedical health care providers in Delhi

Currently, estimated 2.1 million people in India are living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection. This study will discuss about the knowledge and attitude regarding HIV transmission among paramedical staff as they are coming directly in the contact with patients in out-patient department (OPD), in-patient department (IPD) and operative cases. The study was conducted with 94 paramedical staff of 36 small and medium level private health care facilities in Delhi. The study finds that knowledge about the infection of HIV is quite poor among nurses and paramedics staff in healthcare settings. The attitude of the staff was also not found on positive side. This study recommends that a rigors information, education, and communication program should be implemented in the healthcare settings

Knowledge, attitude, and perception of disease among persons living with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immuno deficiency syndrome: A study from a tertiary care center in North India

Background:Although modification of behavioral practices among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-affected patients is important in decreasing HIV disease transmission, the knowledge, attitude, and perception studies about HIV infection rarely include persons living with HIV/acquired immuno deficiency syndrome (AIDS).Aims:To assess knowledge, attitude, and perceptions of persons living with HIV/AIDS for the disease and other epidemiological aspects.Materials and Methods:One-hundred and fifty consecutive persons living with HIV/AIDS were enrolled for this questionnaire-based cross-sectional, descriptive study.Results:These 150 patients comprised 93 men and 57 women, aged between 14 and 78 (mean 37.13) years. The majority, 112 (74.67%) patients were between 20 and 50 years of age and 116 (77.3%) patients were either illiterate or high-school dropouts. Drivers, laborers, and self-employed comprised 69 (74.2%) patients among affected males. Only 129 (86%) respondents had heard about HIV/AIDS and knew about its heterosexual transmission. Ninety-eight (65.3%) respondents were aware of disease transmission from infected blood or needle pricks. Interestingly, 106 (70.7%) respondents were aware of the importance of using condom in preventing disease transmission. Television/radio was the most common sources of information for 135 (90%) patients. Nearly, 69% respondents disfavored disclosing their disease to friends/colleagues fearing stigmatization.Conclusions:Information, education, and communication activities are imperative to educate persons living with HIV/AIDS about life-long nature of the disease, modes of its transmission, and significance of preventive measures to bridge the gaps in their knowledge. While improvement in individual economic status, education, and health services remains highly desirable, mass media can play a pivotal role in creating awareness among masses.

Knowledge, attitude, and perception of disease among persons living with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immuno deficiency syndrome: A study from a tertiary care center in North India.

Although modification of behavioral practices among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-affected patients is important in decreasing HIV disease transmission, the knowledge, attitude, and perception studies about HIV infection rarely include persons living with HIV/acquired immuno deficiency syndrome (AIDS). To assess knowledge, attitude, and perceptions of persons living with HIV/AIDS for the disease and other epidemiological aspects. One-hundred and fifty consecutive persons living with HIV/AIDS were enrolled for this questionnaire-based cross-sectional, descriptive study. These 150 patients comprised 93 men and 57 women, aged between 14 and 78 (mean 37.13) years. The majority, 112 (74.67%) patients were between 20 and 50 years of age and 116 (77.3%) patients were either illiterate or high-school dropouts. Drivers, laborers, and self-employed comprised 69 (74.2%) patients among affected males. Only 129 (86%) respondents had heard about HIV/AIDS and knew about its heterosexual transmission. Ninety-eight (65.3%) respondents were aware of disease transmission from infected blood or needle pricks. Interestingly, 106 (70.7%) respondents were aware of the importance of using condom in preventing disease transmission. Television/radio was the most common sources of information for 135 (90%) patients. Nearly, 69% respondents disfavored disclosing their disease to friends/colleagues fearing stigmatization. Information, education, and communication activities are imperative to educate persons living with HIV/AIDS about life-long nature of the disease, modes of its transmission, and significance of preventive measures to bridge the gaps in their knowledge. While improvement in individual economic status, education, and health services remains highly desirable, mass media can play a pivotal role in creating awareness among masses.

Awareness of HIV transmission, attitudes and practices amongst secondary students in an urban metropolis in Ibadan, south west Nigeria 2012

The World Health Organization estimates that of the 2.6 million new cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infections worldwide annually, nearly 370,000 (14%) occur in persons under 15 years. Nigeria has the 2nd highest number of new infections world-wide with 3.7% of the population living with HIV.

STD patients' preferences for HIV prevention strategies.

The objective of this pilot study was to explore the knowledge of and preferences regarding effective biomedical interventions among high risk individuals attending a sexually transmitted diseases clinic, and to examine the effect of a brief information intervention on preference. Participants completed a baseline assessment, attended a presentation on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention methods, and completed a postintervention assessment. Outcome measures included: demographics and sexual risk factors, self-perceived HIV risk, and knowledge and attitudes regarding new biomedical methods of HIV prevention. After the baseline evaluation, participants were provided with information on new biomedical prevention strategies. Participants were given the option to review the information by reading a pamphlet or by viewing a brief video containing the same information. Participants (n=97) were female (n=51) and male (n=46). At baseline, only a small minority of participants were aware of the newer biomedical strategies to prevent HIV infection. Postintervention, 40% endorsed having heard about the use of HIV medications to prevent HIV infection; 72% had heard that male circumcision can decrease the risk of acquiring HIV infection in men; and 73% endorsed knowledge of the potential role of microbicides in decreasing the risk of acquiring HIV. Following the intervention, the most preferred prevention method was male condoms, followed by preexposure prophylaxis, and microbicides. The least preferred methods were male circumcision and female condoms. This study provides preliminary information on knowledge and attitudes regarding newer biomedical interventions to protect against HIV infection.

Medical and Nursing Students Perceived Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices concerning Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Objective. To assess medical and nursing students’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Fiji. Methods. A cross-sectional study of 275 medical and 252 nursing students that participated in a questionnaire survey on HIV KAP. Data was analysed according to their gender, program of study, and academic year. Results. The mean HIV knowledge (HK) and attitude scores were 16.0 and 41.3, respectively. Mean HK score was significantly higher in males compared to females. Significant positive correlations were found between HK and academic year for medical (R=0.459) and nursing (R=0.342) students and between HK and attitude scores (R=0.196). The majority of students indicated fear in contracting HIV through clinical practice and felt that health care workers have the right to know a patients HIV status for their own safety. The majority would wear gloves to touch a patient if suspected of HIV. Conclusions. The study found a high level of HIV knowledge and positive attitude towards HIV patients. However, respondents also displayed negative attitudes and unacceptable practices probably due to fear. Training institutions need to ensure that students gain accurate knowledge on HIV especially on transmission routes to allay the fear of caring for HIV-infected patients.

Think global, act local: medical students contextualize global health education.

There is considerable heterogeneity in the extent to which global health education is emphasized in undergraduate medical curricula. Here, we performed an exploratory analysis to test the hypothesis that exposure to global health education may influence the attitudes of medical students toward the treatment of local vulnerable patient populations. All pre-clerkship students at an urban Canadian university were invited to attend a voluntary global health education session on challenges in treating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the developing world. Those who attended as well as those who did not completed pre- and post-session surveys measuring willingness to treat patients with HIV and related attitudes. A repeated measure analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to assess the effect of the intervention on attitudes toward locally affected populations. A total of 201 (81.4%) and 143 (58.3%) students completed the pre- and post-session surveys, respectively. Students who scored their willingness to treat patients with HIV within highest 10% of the scale on the pre-session survey were excluded from the analysis to account for a ceiling effect. On repeated measure ANOVA, willingness to treat local patients with HIV increased significantly following the session (P < 0.01). Students intending to attend the session also reported a greater propensity to treat patients with HIV than those who did not (P = 0.03). In this exploratory study, we find that following exposure to a global health lecture on the challenges of HIV in the developing world, students possessed more favorable attitudes toward the treatment of marginalized local patient populations, a finding that may be exploited in undergraduate and continuing medical education.

Knowledge of HIV and VCT and attitude to VCT among National Youth Service Corps members in Ilesa and Ife, South Western Nigeria.

The study assessed knowledge about Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) and attitude to VCT among National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in Ilesa and Ile-Ife, South-Western, Nigeria. The study employed a cross-sectional descriptive design. A pre-tested, self-administered, semi-structured questionnaire was used to elicit information from 330 NYSC members who were recruited by multi-stage sampling method from Ilesa and Ile-Ife Local Government Areas, Osun State, Nigeria. The data was analysed using SPSS version 15. The results showed that over 75% of the respondents knew the common modes of HIV transmission and prevention, the meaning of VCT and also had good attitude to some aspects of VCT. However, most of them equally had misconceptions about HIV and VCT. On the whole, only 19.5 and 20.5% of the respondents had good knowledge of HIV and VCT respectively while the rest had fair and poor knowledge. Fifty eight percent had positive attitude to VCT while 42.0% had negative attitude. The study concluded that the respondents had a fair knowledge of HIV and VCT and a positive attitude to VCT. Educational programs on HIV and VCT, targeted at correcting misconceptions should be intensified among corps members.