High risk behaviour among individuals who know about AIDS in rural Rakai district Uganda [abstract]

Objective: To determine AIDS related knowledge and attitudes and the association with serostatus in a randomly selected population in a longitudinal cohort study in Rakai District. Methods: 21 clusters of 40 household each were randomly selected (9 trading center clusters and 12 rural). All consenting residents were included in a baseline KAB/serosurvey. Results: KAB and serological results were obtained on 1290 adults aged 13 and over. Knowledge of HIV infection was very high: 94% of AIDS and 86% knew of sexual transmission. HIV prevalence levels were higher among those who knew of AIDS (21%) than among those with no knowledge (3%). Among those knowing of sexual transmission 10.2% reported 2 or more sexual partners in the preceding year. HIV prevalence rates were higher among the educated: only 12.1% of those with no schooling were positive compared with 22.7% with some primary and 29.7% with higher education. A greater proportion of persons with some education reported multiple partners than did those with no education. Conclusion: Lower HIV levels among persons with no knowledge were attributable to their being older and more rural. However individuals with AIDS knowledge and the better educated continue high risk behavior and have substantial levels of infection. Programs are needed to improve individual motivation. (full text)