Browsing by Author "Moshi, Sisty Joseph"

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    Knowledge, perception, attitudes and practices of safer sex among youth in Moshi rural district, Kilimanjaro region
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2003) Moshi, Sisty Joseph
    Safer sex is considered to be the best way to fight against the growing pandemic of HIV/AIDS among youth in Africa. Good knowledge, appropriate perceptions and attitudes towards safer sex methods are the cornerstone for the practice of safer sex among youth. To assess the knowledge, perceptions, attitudes and practices of safer sex among youths in Moshi rural district Kilimanjaro region Tanzania, 264 unmarried youths in Moshi rural district were interviewed in June 2003. In this study it was found that 99.6% of the respondents were aware that HIV is transmitted through sexual contact. Practice of various methods of safer sex was significantly low. Only 62.1% of the respondents had ever used a condom among which only 16.7% were using condoms consistently. Also 52.3% had had two or more sexual partners. However although the majority of the youth agreed strongly that methods of safer sex can help to reduce HIV transmission, the majority also admitted that they are difficult to practice The proportion of the respondents who had correct knowledge, attitudes, perceptions and practices with regard to safer sex was much higher among those with secondary education compared to those with primary education and those with no formal education. Also was much better in those above 20 years of age. Sex and religion of the respondents had no significant effect on the measured issues. It seems AIDS activists still have work to do to bridge the gap between knowledge and practice of safer sex.