title: Assessment of comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge level among in-school adolescents in eastern Ethiopia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Ethiopia, more adolescents are in school today than ever before; however, there are no studies that have assessed their comprehensive knowledge of HIV/AIDS. Thus, this study tried to assess the level of this knowledge and the factors associated with it among in-school adolescents in eastern Ethiopia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional school-based study was conducted using a facilitator-guided self-administered questionnaire. The respondents were students attending regular school in 14 high schools located in 14 different districts in eastern Ethiopia. The proportion of in-school adolescents with comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge was computed and compared by sex. The factors that were associated with the comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge were assessed using bivariate and multivariable logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only about one in four, 677 (24.5%), in-school adolescents have comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge. The knowledge was better among in-school adolescents from families with a relatively middle or high wealth index (adjusted OR [95% CI]=1.39 [1.03-1.87] and 1.75 [1.24-2.48], respectively), who got HIV/AIDS information mainly from friends or mass media (adjusted OR [95% CI]=1.63 [1.17-2.27] and 1.55 [1.14-2.11], respectively) and who received education on HIV/AIDS and sexual matters at school (adjusted OR [95% CI]=1.59 [1.22-2.08]). The females were less likely to have comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge compared to males (adjusted OR and [95% CI]=0.60 [0.49-0.75]).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In general, only about a quarter of in-school adolescents had comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge. Although the female adolescents are highly vulnerable to HIV infection and its effects, they were by far less likely to have comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge. HIV/AIDS information, education and communication activities need to be intensified in high schools.
authors.affiliation: College of Health Sciences, Department of Public Health, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia. olemessa@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Lemessa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Oljira
authors.forename: Yemane
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Berhane
authors.forename: Alemayehu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Worku
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000293:Adolescent; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005002:Ethiopia; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012574:Schools; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: HIV/AIDS; adolescents; comprehensive knowledge; in-school