Knowledge And Awareness About HIV/AIDS Among Women of Reproductive Age in A District of Northern India

Authors

  • Arun Singh Rohilkhand Medical College And Hospital, Bareilly
  • Swati Khan Rohilkhand Medical College And Hospital, Bareilly
  • Varsha Chaudhary Rohilkhand Medical College And Hospital, Bareilly
  • Kusum Narula Rohilkhand Medical College And Hospital, Bareilly
  • Zeashan Haider Zaidi Rohilkhand Medical College And Hospital, Bareilly
  • Amiya Pandey Rohilkhand Medical College And Hospital, Bareilly

Keywords:

HIV, AIDS, Reproductive age

Abstract

Motivation: The awareness about infectious disease like HIV/AIDS can affect and even helps in reducing the prevalence, incidence and no. of cases of the disease in the communities. With this view a cross sectional study was conducted during 2 months from July to August 2010 among women of reproductive age group in the urban and rural areas of Bareilly District to study and to compare the level of awareness in two different areas of the district about HIV/AIDS.

Methodology: The two stage cluster sampling technique was adopted. A structured questionnaire was used to interview 620 women of reproductive age i.e. 310 women from each areas by house to house surveys. Each woman was interviewed for her level of awareness about HIV/AIDS. Chi (x2) square test and Standard Normal Variate (SNV) Test for comparison of two groups (rural & urban) proportion was done; z and p were calculated.

Results: 27.41% of rural and 80.32% of urban women was aware about HIV/AIDS. In rural areas, homosexual intercourse (74.11%) is one the most common mode of transmission followed by heterosexual intercourse (24.70%) and in urban areas heterosexual intercourse (79.12%) followed by needles/ blades/ skin puncture (73.09%). The commonest sources of information among women in rural areas were TV (41.17%) and Radio (32.94%). In urban areas TV (90.36%) was more common media.

Recommendations: As the awareness in the area especially in the rural areas was very low therefore it should be raised. The source of information should also be strengthened.

References

National AIDS Control Organization; Department of AIDS Control: www.nacoonline.org/Quick_Links/Youth/ (accessed on 13-01-2012)

National AIDS Control Organization; Department of AIDS Control: http://www.nacoonline.org/Quick_Links/Women/ (accessed on 30-12-2011)

Progress Report on the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS: United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS; NATIONAL AIDS CONTROL ORGANISATION: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: Government of India, New Delhi 2005;4

S Sarkar, M Danabalan, GA Kumar: Knowledge and Attitude on HIV/AIDS among Married Women of Reproductive Age Attending a Teaching Hospital: Indian Journal of Community Medicine: Vol. 32, No. 1 (2007-01 - 2007-03).

National AIDS Control Organization, National Baseline Behavioral Surveillance Survey, New Delhi 2003, India Datasheet 2001-2002.

P V Kotech and Sangita Patel: Measuring Knowledge about HIV among youth: Baseline survey for urban slums of Vadodara: Indian J Sex Transm Dis & AIDS 2008; Vol.29, No.2, 68-72 accessed on June 03, 2011 from http://www.ijstd.org

National AIDS Control Organization; Department of AIDS Control: Youth; Vulnerable groups. http://www.nacoonline.org/Quick_Links/Youth/ (accessed on 17-02-2012)

National AIDS Control Organization; Department of AIDS Control: Women; India Scenario. http://www.nacoonline.org/Quick_Links/Women/ (accessed on 25-03-2012)

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Published

2012-09-30

How to Cite

1.
Singh A, Khan S, Chaudhary V, Narula K, Zaidi ZH, Pandey A. Knowledge And Awareness About HIV/AIDS Among Women of Reproductive Age in A District of Northern India. Natl J Community Med [Internet]. 2012 Sep. 30 [cited 2024 Dec. 13];3(03):417-22. Available from: https://njcmindia.com/index.php/file/article/view/1734

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Original Research Articles