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. 2025 Jun;25(2):227-240.
doi: 10.4314/ahs.v25i2.28.

Knowledge on HIV and its association with sexual behavior among adolescents in Kampala, Uganda

Alice Nakato  1   2 , Joan Nakayaga Kalyango  1   3 , Caroline Makoha  1 , Phillip Orishaba  1 , Apolo Ayebale  1 , Sabrina Bakeera Kitaka  4
Affiliations

Knowledge on HIV and its association with sexual behavior among adolescents in Kampala, Uganda

Alice Nakato et al. Afr Health Sci. 2025 Jun.

Abstract

Background: Despite several efforts to educate adolescents about HIV/AIDS in Uganda, many still engage in unsafe behaviors, putting them at risk of HIV infection.

Objective: We aimed to assess the level of HIV knowledge and associated factors and establish association with sexual behavior among 13 to 19-year-old adolescents living in an urban division in Kampala district.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among 976 adolescents selected through multistage sampling and administered one pretested questionnaire to collect data. We analyzed the data using Stata version 14.0.

Results: Knowledge on HIV was moderate (mean score = 11.30, SD= 2.91), and it was not associated with sexual behavior (OR= 0.97, p-value = 0.565). HIV knowledge was associated with age, school status, and knowledge of HIV status.

Conclusions: Knowing about HIV did not imply engaging in safe sex practices. There is, therefore, a need to encourage adolescents to adopt safe sexual behavior in the fight against HIV.

Keywords: Adolescent; HIV; Sexual Behavior.

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References

    1. UNAIDS, author. UNAIDS Country facts sheet Uganda Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. UNAIDS; 2017.
    1. Ministry of Health U, author. Uganda Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (UPHIA) 2016-2017: Final Report. Kampala: Ministry of Health; 2019. Jul,
    1. AYA, author. Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive health in Uganda. Results of the African Youth Alliance (AYA) Baseline Survey African Youth Alliance (AYA)
    1. Pharr JR, Enejoh V, Mavegam BO, Olutola A, Karick H, Ezeanolue E. A Cross-Sectional Study of the Role of HIV/AIDS Knowledge in Risky Sexual Behaviors of Adolescents in Nigeria. Int J High Risk Behav Addict. 2017.
    1. Ainebyoona E. More teenage girls got pregnant in 2016. Daily Monitor. 2017.

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