Assessment of the Impact of HIV/AIDS Awareness on the Safe Sexual Behavior of Undergraduate Students: A Case Study of Makerere University

Abstract

The main objective of the study was to determine the impact of HIV/AIDS awareness on the safe sexual behaviour of undergraduate students in Makerere University. A sample survey was carried out using a self-administered questionnaire which was distributed to residents of Africa and Livingstone Halls that were selected beforehand. Simple random sampling was done and a total of 222 respondents were selected. All analysis was conducted using STATA 14. Descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation, pair wise correlations, logistic regression were used to analyse the data at univariate, bivariate and multivariate stages respectively.

The findings indicated that gender, relationship with person of last sexual intercourse, knowledge about HIV prevention and factors associated with HIV/AIDS risk perception significantly affected condom use among undergraduate students at Makerere University at 5% level of significance. The odds of condom use among male undergraduate students (coefficient=1.9090) at Makerere University were 6.75 times greater than that of condom use among female undergraduate students at Makerere University. The odds of condom use among undergraduate students at Makerere University whose last sexual partner was a casual acquaintance (coefficient= 0.9602) were 2.61 times greater than that of condom use among undergraduate students at Makerere University whose last sexual partner was a boyfriend/girlfriend. The odds of condom use among undergraduate students at Makerere University with adequate knowledge about HIV prevention (coefficient= -1.0038) were 0.63 times lower than the odds of condom use among undergraduate students with inadequate knowledge about HIV prevention. The odds of condom use among undergraduate students at Makerere University who knew someone living with HIV/AIDS (coefficient= -0.8224) were 0.56 times lower than the odds of condom use among undergraduate students who did not know someone living with HIV/AIDS.

In view of the results of this research, the following recommendations were made; female undergraduate students should be well sensitized about proper condom use and the benefits that arise out of properly using condoms, free female condoms in the female halls of residence should be availed, sensitization about commitment to one sexual partner and widespread awareness about HIV transmission and prevention should be carried out in order to promote safe sexual behavioural practices among undergraduate students.