Knowledge and Attitude of Senior High School Students toward Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
Abstract: Indonesia has experienced
more than 25% rise of Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency
Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) incidence. One of the provinces mostly affected is West
Java. Proper knowledge of HIV/AIDS can develop attitude and practice to prevent
the spread of HIV/AIDS, and in effect, its incidence. This study was conducted
to describe the knowledge and attitude of Senior High School (Sekolah Menengah
Atas, SMA) students toward HIV/AIDS.
Methods: This descriptive study was conducted using a cross-sectional method
and used secondary data with total sampling technique, from Jatinangor Cohort
Research Team of the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran. The samples
were obtained by stratified cluster random sampling. Two hundred and seventy
seven students’ knowledge and attitude were assessed in Senior High School in
Jatinangor, on May 2013
Results: Senior High School students in Jatinangor mostly (50.2%) had a
poor level of knowledge, yet 51.3% positive attitude toward HIV/AIDS. There
were still misconception regarding transmission media of HIV/AIDS and mode of
transmission HIV/AIDS. Information source on HIV/AIDS were teachers (96.4%),
followed by television (93.5%), internet (86.6%), friends (84.8%), health
workers (69.7%), newspapers (62.1%), parents (61%), magazines (55.2%), and
radio (33.2%).
Conclusions: Although most of the Senior High School students in
Jatinangor have a poor level of knowledge, they have a positive attitude toward
HIV/AIDS. The main information source on HIV/AIDS is teacher.
Author: Arnova Reswari,
Kusmandewi Mutyara, Lynna Lidyana
Journal Code: jpkedokterangg160096