HIV-preventive cognitions amongst secondary school students in Uganda

A self-completion questionnaire was used to survey HIV-preventive cognitions among secondary school students in Kabarole district, Uganda. An encouraging pattern of HIV-preventive beliefs was observed, suggesting that health education efforts have been effective in establishing basic transmission knowledge, accurate risk perception and an understanding of effective precautions. Further analysis explored the prerequisites of men and women's HIV-preventive self-efficacy, and intentions and tolerance of people with AIDS. Approximately a third of variance in men and women's condom use self-efficacy, half the variance in women's condom use intentions and a quarter of the variance in men's condom use intentions was accounted for by specified variables. Results offered support for psychological relationships proposed by social cognition models and suggested specific health education targets for young Ugandan men and women.