HIV-related knowledge and stigma among high school students in Libya

Abstract

This study aims to measure indicators of HIV-related stigma among students of high schools in the North West of Libya. The results will be part of baseline data and evaluation of the impact of successive interventions. Understanding the behaviour of risk groups in a society, such as young people, is essential in order to draw effective prevention strategies. Behavioural surveillance surveys have been shown to make an important and useful contribution to informing the response to HIV. This study was part of a large Knowledge, Attitude, Beliefs and Practice survey. A self-administrated questionnaire method was used. The response rates were high (83-92%). Despite high level of stigma shown by both boys and girls in the study, 91% of students supported providing free care to HIV infected individuals. The HIV intervention programmes for young people should operate within a comprehensive strategy to combat HIV/AIDS. The stigmatizing and the discriminatory perceptions of HIV infected individuals should be addressed as part of the education campaign.

Stigmatization of Persons With HIV/AIDS in Saudi Arabia

“…Overall, students' knowledge of HIV/AIDS was inadequate, as indicated by the fact that the majority were unable to identify the correct answers to half of the statements on the HIV/ AIDS knowledge index. Similar misconceptions about HIV/ AIDS have been reported among students from other countries in the Arab region (Badahdah, 2005b;El-Gadi, Abudher, & Sammud, 2008;Petro-Nustas, Kulwicki, & Zumout, 2002;Tebourski & Ben Alaya, 2004). The majority of the participants in this study, for example, thought that they could recognize HIV seropositive individuals from their appearance.…”

HIV/AIDS-related knowledge, sources and perceived need among senior high school students: a cross-sectional study in China

“…Schools were generally considered to be one of the most important ways of providing HIV/AIDS-related information. 7,13,14 One of the major obstacles that such programs faced was an inadequate understanding about what adolescents already know, how accurate and perceived need. This study contributed to filling some of these information gaps by providing evidence on HIV/AIDS knowledge level and perceived need.…”

“…School education, when it was appropriately planned and implemented, was one of the most viable and effective means for HIV/AIDS-related information transmission. 7,13,14 Despite 51.8% of sampled participants receiving HIV/AIDS information from the school health education curriculum, nearly half of the students were still excluded from such a program. This represented a critical missed opportunity since, compared to the other way, school-based intervention promised a higher effectiveness in reaching a large number of adolescents.…”

Measuring the impact of programs that challenge the public stigma of mental illness

“…Assessments of knowledge used in stigma research are similar to the kind of test items college students might encounter in an introductory course (El-Gadi, Abduher, & Sammud, 2008; Martiniuk et al, 2007). Multiple choice is most common, but true-false and fill in the blank have also been incorporated into outcome batteries.…”