Ahstract
1
One hundred andeighty-hvoteachers from a random selection of ISschools , in a rural area of Lucknow districtof ’ northern India were interviewed to I assess their awareness and knowledge about AIDS using a pretested CAKC proposedquestionnaire.Observations , revealed that only 79.7% of the , I teachers had heard about AIDS, newspapers being the main source of information. Awareness amongst graduate teachers was significantly higher than non-graduates. Many believed AIDS to be mosquito-borne and less than 2%knew that condom usage makes srs safer. The study revealstheneed toundertakeintensive health education efforts as school teachers are an important source of health-related information for rural populations. Keywords: AIDS, awareness, school teachers.
AIDS Awareness Amongst School Teachers in a Rural Area of India \‘R Srivsstava hlD, DPII, hISc (COM NED) S Nnipani bID K Chandm MD, DECD, FIAPSM, FIPIW \‘C Jain hID (AIED), AID (SPAl), DCII
Department of Social B Preventive Medicine King George’sMedical College, Lucknow, India
Introduction Until a cure for AIDS is discovered, the only effective method of dealing with the problem is prevention,and presently this is only possible through education. AIDS education in its broadest terms faces the formidablechallengeof changingbehavior’. However, the starting point of any such education would involve creating a basic awareness of AIDS. In rural India, with the very high rates of illiteracy and relatively less access to the mass media, school teachers become an important source of health-related information.Thispaper attempts to assessAIDS awarenessamongschoolteachersof arural area.
I
Dr \’K Srivastava Department of Social B Prewnrivc Medicine King George’s Medical College Lucknow 22600.3 India
-
f
Materials & Methods The study was canied out in the district of Lucknow in Northern India. The development block Sarajini Nagar, with a population of 169,000, was the study area. The block has more than 150schoolsimparting education up to primary andor secondary level. The survey was conducted in a random selectionof 15schools. A total of 182 teachers were contacted and information about AIDS awareness was elicited using a questionnaire2proposed and used by the Center for AIDS Research and Control. Anonymity was maintained and questions of a personal nature were avoided.
Results Of the total 182 teachers assessed, 145 (79.7)% were aware of AIDS while the remaining 37 (20.3%) had not heard of it. Analysis of AIDS awareness in relation to the academic qualificationof the teachers S in revealed that the awareness ~ L 60% those who ivere undergraduates as comparedto89.6Q inthegraduates.Thedifference was statisticallysignificant (Table 1) (E3.8, pcOO1). Newspapers (60.0%) followed by television (30.3%) were the main sources of information (Table 2). Regardingthemodeof transmission22.8% of those aware could not tell how AIDS is spread. 68.3% knew that sexual contact was the mode of transmission and 25.5% indicatedthai AIDS is transmittedthrough blood. Interestingly,6.3% responded that AIDS is mosquito-borne(Table 3). Types of sexual contact leading to AIDS wereenquiredfromtherespondents(Table 4). Once again 24.1% did not respond. Of those who responded, 43.4% considered anal homosexuality and/or bisexuality to be the risk factor associated with AIDS, followed by vaginal heterosexuality (37.2%) and lesbianism (12.4%). On exploring opinions about safe sex, the majority (69.0%) responded that it should be with ‘own spouse’. 18.6% had no defi-
16 Downloaded from aph.sagepub.com at Scott Memorial Library @ Thomas Jefferson University on March 10, 2015
Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health 1992/1993 Vol 6 N o 1
m
nite opinion about safe sex, while ‘wearing condom every time you have sex’ was perceived to be protective against AIDS by only 1.4% of the respondents (Table 5).
Awareness in accordance with education (n=l82)
I
Educational Status Intermediate Graduate Postgraduate
’m Total
AIDS Aware
Number Studied
No.
%
60 48 74
36 43 66
60.0 89.6 89.2
No. 24 5 8
182
145
79.7
37
No
I
%
40.0 10.4 10.8 20.3
Source of knowledge about AIDS (n=145)
Source Newspaper Television Radio Magazine Friend Others
I
Number 87 44 32 28 9 4
Percent 60.0 30.3 22.0 19.3 6.2 2.7
Number 99 37 18 18 9 8
Percent 68.3 25.5 12.4 12.4 6.2 5.5
33
22.8
Mode of transmission (n=145)
hIode of transniission Sexually Blood Physical contact Needles Mosquito Other (toilet seat, contaminated water, using same cup) No response
Discussion The threat of AIDS is very real to all developing countries including India’, but the study reveals that one-fifth of school teachers had not heard about it. Moreover, many believed it to be mosquito-borneand less than 2% had the knowledge that condom usage makes sex safer. Obviously, more intensive efforts for health education in this regardare urgentlyrequircd. A separate orientation program for school teachers could perhaps be tried with the longterm objective of an AIDS education program throughschools, becauseit is realized that the education system is the broadest channel for disseminating health knowledge. Such a program is in fact a reality in Uganda’. References
1. Rinehaxt W.Aids Education - A Beginning.
Population Reports. The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA, 1989; Series L, No. 8:1-2. 2. Verma S and Pavri Khl. A Rapid Survey to Assess AIDS Awareness Among College Students in Bombay and Pune. CARC Calling. 1988;l (SUP):2-8. 3. UNICEF. Uganda: Health in 8,OOO Schools. The State of the Worlds Children. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 199056.
Types of sexual contact leading to AIDS (n=145)
Types of sexual contact Hetero and/or homosexual anal Heterosexual vaginal Lesbian No response
Number 63 54 18 35
Percent 43.4 37.2 12.4 24.1
Number
Percent
100 13 8 2 22
69.0 9.0 5.5 1.4 15.2
Perception of safe sex (n=145)
Perception of safe sex (Having sex only with) Own spouse Steady giryboy friend Several girl/boy friends in known circle Wearing condom every time you have sex No response
17 Downloaded from aph.sagepub.com at Scott Memorial Library @ Thomas Jefferson University on March 10, 2015
1
One hundred andeighty-hvoteachers from a random selection of ISschools , in a rural area of Lucknow districtof ’ northern India were interviewed to I assess their awareness and knowledge about AIDS using a pretested CAKC proposedquestionnaire.Observations , revealed that only 79.7% of the , I teachers had heard about AIDS, newspapers being the main source of information. Awareness amongst graduate teachers was significantly higher than non-graduates. Many believed AIDS to be mosquito-borne and less than 2%knew that condom usage makes srs safer. The study revealstheneed toundertakeintensive health education efforts as school teachers are an important source of health-related information for rural populations. Keywords: AIDS, awareness, school teachers.
AIDS Awareness Amongst School Teachers in a Rural Area of India \‘R Srivsstava hlD, DPII, hISc (COM NED) S Nnipani bID K Chandm MD, DECD, FIAPSM, FIPIW \‘C Jain hID (AIED), AID (SPAl), DCII
Department of Social B Preventive Medicine King George’sMedical College, Lucknow, India
Introduction Until a cure for AIDS is discovered, the only effective method of dealing with the problem is prevention,and presently this is only possible through education. AIDS education in its broadest terms faces the formidablechallengeof changingbehavior’. However, the starting point of any such education would involve creating a basic awareness of AIDS. In rural India, with the very high rates of illiteracy and relatively less access to the mass media, school teachers become an important source of health-related information.Thispaper attempts to assessAIDS awarenessamongschoolteachersof arural area.
I
Dr \’K Srivastava Department of Social B Prewnrivc Medicine King George’s Medical College Lucknow 22600.3 India
-
f
Materials & Methods The study was canied out in the district of Lucknow in Northern India. The development block Sarajini Nagar, with a population of 169,000, was the study area. The block has more than 150schoolsimparting education up to primary andor secondary level. The survey was conducted in a random selectionof 15schools. A total of 182 teachers were contacted and information about AIDS awareness was elicited using a questionnaire2proposed and used by the Center for AIDS Research and Control. Anonymity was maintained and questions of a personal nature were avoided.
Results Of the total 182 teachers assessed, 145 (79.7)% were aware of AIDS while the remaining 37 (20.3%) had not heard of it. Analysis of AIDS awareness in relation to the academic qualificationof the teachers S in revealed that the awareness ~ L 60% those who ivere undergraduates as comparedto89.6Q inthegraduates.Thedifference was statisticallysignificant (Table 1) (E3.8, pcOO1). Newspapers (60.0%) followed by television (30.3%) were the main sources of information (Table 2). Regardingthemodeof transmission22.8% of those aware could not tell how AIDS is spread. 68.3% knew that sexual contact was the mode of transmission and 25.5% indicatedthai AIDS is transmittedthrough blood. Interestingly,6.3% responded that AIDS is mosquito-borne(Table 3). Types of sexual contact leading to AIDS wereenquiredfromtherespondents(Table 4). Once again 24.1% did not respond. Of those who responded, 43.4% considered anal homosexuality and/or bisexuality to be the risk factor associated with AIDS, followed by vaginal heterosexuality (37.2%) and lesbianism (12.4%). On exploring opinions about safe sex, the majority (69.0%) responded that it should be with ‘own spouse’. 18.6% had no defi-
16 Downloaded from aph.sagepub.com at Scott Memorial Library @ Thomas Jefferson University on March 10, 2015
Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health 1992/1993 Vol 6 N o 1
m
nite opinion about safe sex, while ‘wearing condom every time you have sex’ was perceived to be protective against AIDS by only 1.4% of the respondents (Table 5).
Awareness in accordance with education (n=l82)
I
Educational Status Intermediate Graduate Postgraduate
’m Total
AIDS Aware
Number Studied
No.
%
60 48 74
36 43 66
60.0 89.6 89.2
No. 24 5 8
182
145
79.7
37
No
I
%
40.0 10.4 10.8 20.3
Source of knowledge about AIDS (n=145)
Source Newspaper Television Radio Magazine Friend Others
I
Number 87 44 32 28 9 4
Percent 60.0 30.3 22.0 19.3 6.2 2.7
Number 99 37 18 18 9 8
Percent 68.3 25.5 12.4 12.4 6.2 5.5
33
22.8
Mode of transmission (n=145)
hIode of transniission Sexually Blood Physical contact Needles Mosquito Other (toilet seat, contaminated water, using same cup) No response
Discussion The threat of AIDS is very real to all developing countries including India’, but the study reveals that one-fifth of school teachers had not heard about it. Moreover, many believed it to be mosquito-borneand less than 2% had the knowledge that condom usage makes sex safer. Obviously, more intensive efforts for health education in this regardare urgentlyrequircd. A separate orientation program for school teachers could perhaps be tried with the longterm objective of an AIDS education program throughschools, becauseit is realized that the education system is the broadest channel for disseminating health knowledge. Such a program is in fact a reality in Uganda’. References
1. Rinehaxt W.Aids Education - A Beginning.
Population Reports. The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA, 1989; Series L, No. 8:1-2. 2. Verma S and Pavri Khl. A Rapid Survey to Assess AIDS Awareness Among College Students in Bombay and Pune. CARC Calling. 1988;l (SUP):2-8. 3. UNICEF. Uganda: Health in 8,OOO Schools. The State of the Worlds Children. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 199056.
Types of sexual contact leading to AIDS (n=145)
Types of sexual contact Hetero and/or homosexual anal Heterosexual vaginal Lesbian No response
Number 63 54 18 35
Percent 43.4 37.2 12.4 24.1
Number
Percent
100 13 8 2 22
69.0 9.0 5.5 1.4 15.2
Perception of safe sex (n=145)
Perception of safe sex (Having sex only with) Own spouse Steady giryboy friend Several girl/boy friends in known circle Wearing condom every time you have sex No response
17 Downloaded from aph.sagepub.com at Scott Memorial Library @ Thomas Jefferson University on March 10, 2015
