Own HIV/AIDS Risk Perception and Associated Factors Among Mizan Tepi, University Students: Institution Based Cross-Sectional Study
Introduction: HIV/AIDS is an extraordinary king of crisis; it is both an emergency and a long term development issue. Its impact goes beyond public health concerns as it undermines the social and economic structures particularly that of developing courtiers since it is mainly affecting economically active segment of the population. Objectives: Assessment of level of HIV risk perception and associated factors among Mizan-Tepi University students, southern, Ethiopia, 2011. Methods: Institutional based cross-sectional study supported with qualitative study design was conducted from April to May 2011. Data was collected from 627 randomly selected regular students using pretested structured questionnaire on self-administered basis. It was coded, entered, cleaned and analyzed using SPSS computer software package version 16. Summary statistics of socio demographic variables were presented using frequency tables and graphs. A logistic regressions analysis method was employed. Odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was used to assess the association of dependent and independent variables. P-value less than 5% was used to declare significant association. Results: A total of 627 students were participated in the study making the response rate 97.4%. Out of the total respondents 448 (71.5%) were males. The mean age of the study population was 18.6 with standard deviation of 2.33 years. The prevalence of own HIV risk perception is 58.7%. Age at first sexual intercourse, number of sexual partner, khat chewing found to be associated with own HIV risk perception. From varies socio-demographic characteristics of students, age group was important variable identified as predictor for own HIV risk perception by students. Conclusion: The overall prevalence of own HIV risk perception in this study is 58.7%. Variables such as age at first sexual intercourse, number of sexual partner, khat chewing were identified to be strong predictors of own HIV risk perception.