KNOWLEDGE, PERCEIVED RISK OF AIDS AND SEXUAL-BEHAVIOR AMONG PRIMARY-SCHOOL CHILDREN IN 2 AREAS OF TANZANIA

This study was designed to assess levels of AIDS knowledge, perceived risk of AIDS, attitudes towards sex and self-reported sexual behavior in primary school children. We collected anonymous questionnaire data from primary school children, fifth through seventh graders, in selected schools in Poli division, Arusha region, and in Bukoba urban and rural districts, Kagera region, Tanzania in 1991. A total of 711 students from Poli and 408 from Bukoba participated. The results indicated that knowledge of AIDS increased with increasing age and was higher among students from Bukoba than among students from Poli. Eighty-six percent of the students reported that they perceived AIDS as a serious threat to primary school children and 96% reported that they themselves were very afraid of getting AIDS. Girls reported more restrictive attitudes towards sex than did boys and boys reported having had sexual intercourse more often than did girls (38 versus 15%). Students from Poli reported more often than students from Bukoba having engaged in sexual intercourse (31 versus 18%). Children in high HIV/AIDS prevalence areas seem to have more knowledge about AIDS and also report tower levels of risk behavior than do primary school children in low prevalence areas.