Skip to main content

Table 5 Knowledge about HIV and HIV prevention practice

From: Population level usage of health services, and HIV testing and care, prior to decentralization of antiretroviral therapy in Agago District in rural Northern Uganda

HIV Knowledge and Prevention Practices

Men

Women

Test for difference by sexc

n = 755

n = 1369

 

Yes

No

Don’t know/not sure

Yes

No

Don’t know/not sure

 

Have you heard of HIV or AIDS?

739 (97.9)

16 (2.1)

 

1361 (99.4)

8 (0.6)

 

0.003

Ways of transmitting HIV/AIDSa

 Can be transmitted by sex with someone who looks healthy

628 (83.3)

63 (8.4)

63 (8.4)

1084 (79.2)

122 (8.9)

162 (11.8)

0.03

 Can’t be transmitted by mosquito or other insect bites

480 (63.8)

173 (23.0)

100 (13.3)

638 (46.6)

435 (31.8)

295 (21.6)

<0.001

 Can’t be transmitted by bewitchment/curses or supernatural means

652 (86.6)

34 (4.5)

67 (8.9)

1159 (84.9)

56 (4.1)

151 (11.1)

0.28

 Can’t be transmitted by sharing food with HIV infected person

656 (87.1)

36 (4.8)

61 (8.1)

1141 (83.4)

82 (6.0)

145 (10.6)

0.03

 Can be transmitted by having sex without condom

726 (96.6)

4 (0.5)

21 (2.8)

1338 (98.0)

11 (0.8)

17 (1.2)

0.08

Knowledge about PMTCTa

 HIV can be transmitted to child during pregnancy

330 (43.7)

298 (39.5)

127 (16.8)

544 (39.7)

537 (39.2)

288 (21.0)

0.08

 HIV can be transmitted to child during delivery

670 (88.7)

22 (2.9)

63 (8.3)

1265 (92.4)

34 (2.5)

70 (5.1)

0.005

 HIV can be transmitted to child during breastfeeding

653 (86.5)

23 (3.1)

79 (10.5)

1248 (91.2)

30 (2.2)

91 (6.7)

0.001

Do you practise any HIV prevention methods?b

723 (97.8)

16 (2.1)

 

1347 (99.0)

14 (1.0)

 

0.04

HIV prevention practices usedb

 Abstinence

260 (35.2)

477 (64.6)

1 (0.1)

478 (35.2)

880 (64.7)

2 (0.2)

0.99

 Faithfulness

510 (69.0)

226 (30.6)

3 (0.4)

1044 (76.7)

316 (23.2)

1 (0.1)

<0.001

 Condom use

368 (49.8)

371 (50.2)

0 (0.0)

262 (19.3)

1097 (80.7)

1 (0.1)

<0.001

 Circumcision

21 (2.9)

685 (92.8)

32 (4.3)

5 (0.4)

1073 (78.8)

283 (20.8)

<0.001

 Others

123 (18.5)

451 (67.9)

90 (13.6)

180 (14.3)

828 (66.8)

231 (18.6)

0.02

  1. Data are n (%) of participants
  2. aFor all questions covering knowledge of modes of HIV transmission, a “yes” indicates correct knowledge. Participants who had not heard of HIV/AIDS (n = 24) were included under “don’t know/not sure”
  3. bParticipants who had not heard of HIV/AIDS (n = 24) were not asked about HIV prevention practice
  4. cTest for difference compares yes vs. no/don’t know/not sure by logit random effects model