Hiv/Aids Awareness,Perceived Vulnerability Andsexual Behaviour Among Rural Secondary Schools Students: Githunguri District, Kiambu County

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study was to establish students’ HIV/AIDSawareness, their perceived vulnerability and sexual behaviour. Specifically the study sought to establish students’ levels of awareness about HIV/AIDS, establish the students’ sexual behaviourdetermine the students’ perceptions of vulnerability towards HIV/AIDS,and determine the relationship between students’ levels of awareness, perceived vulnerability towards HIV/AIDSand their sexual behaviour.  The study was guided by one model and one theory:the Rational Choice Model and the Attribution theory.The study adopted correlation study design. It targeted all the secondary school students in Githunguri District of Kiambu County. Stratified sampling technique was used to select 500 students as respondents. Questionnaire tools were used to collect the required information. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Version 17).The study established that in as much as the students were aware of some aspects of HIV/AIDS, they were equally not aware of others. The students held positive attitudes towards abstinence,HIV testing, and condom use.  The study found out thatsexual activity among the students began even before joining secondary schools and commercialization of sex in the county existed increasing the risk of the spread of HIV virus.The study recommended that the Ministry of Education reviewsawareness creation on the infection, transmission and prevention of HIV/AIDS in secondary schools andemphasize onteachingstudentsaboutreproductive healthfromasearlyas at10 years of age.The MinistryofHealth implements awareness creation on access and use of condoms among students in secondary schools and within the larger society in the county. A replication of this study in other counties within Kenya was suggested for further research.