AIDS-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, Beliefs, and Behavioral Intentions of Adolescents in Trinidad: A Pilot Study

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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to describe AIDS knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and behavioral intentions among adolescents attending high school in the Republic of Trinidad, a Caribbean island. This information will be useful in planning and implementing appropriate AIDS education and prevention programs. A structured questionnaire consisting of five sections was administered to fifty-one randomly selected students aged thirteen to eighteen years and studying in forms III, IV, and V (equivalent to the last three grades of U.S. high school) in three high schools. Ninety-six percent of respondents knew the cause of AIDS and mode of transmission, but 26 percent felt that they could get AIDS from insect bites. Student knowledge did not correlate with behavior intentions, but there was a high correlation with perception of risk and their intention to use condom or abstain from sexual practice. There appears to be some association between level of education and likelihood of safe sexual practices ( p = .06). There was a significant ( p < .05) relationship between students attending all girls school and behavior intentions. There was also a significant relationship ( p < .05) between knowledge level and newspapers or magazines as the sources of knowledge.