SECONDARY-SCHOOL STUDENTS RISKS THAT MAY PROMOTE HIV-INFECTION AND THE SPREAD OF AIDS - A NAMIBIAN STUDY

A questionnaire was administered to 1471 grades 8 to 12 Namibian stude nts with a mean age of 18 years to determine their cognitive, attitudi nal and behavioural risks that could promote HIV infection. Derived fr om the students' need for belonging, love, acceptance and sexual exper ience, several risks were identified. For instance, 50 percent of them were unaware of AIDS, 42 percent thought that some people were immune to AIDS, 48 percent reported that they would be rejected by their pee rs if they refused to have premarital sex, 47 percent indicated that m istrust was communicated when one used or suggested the use of a condo m during sexual intercourse and 50 percent believed that alcohol facil itated communication with peers of the opposite sex. Chi-square, multi -variate ANOVA and multiple regression analyses revealed differences i n the expression of the risks due to age, sex and region. For example, significantly more boys than girls and more students from Northern th an from Central and Southern regions thought that mistrust was communi cated by condom use, sexual intercourse provided popularity, proved se xual maturity, showed commitment to and maintained love relationships. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.