A Study Of The Knowledge Attitude And Behavior Of Students With Disabilities About Hivaids Preventive Measures The Case Of Some Selected Schools In Addis Ababa
The study explored the visually impaired and the hearing impaired students’rnknowledge, attitude and behavior about HIV/AIDS preventive measures inrnsome selected secondary schools of Addis Ababa. For this purpose, a total ofrnone hundred sixty (80 visually impaired and 80 hearing impaired)rnrespondents were selected randomly. A self-report questionnaire (for thernhearing impaired) and a questionnaire read to the visually impaired (a formrnof interview check-list) were used to gather information from thernrespondents. Besides, interview guides were used to gather additionalrninformation from the school anti-HIV/AIDS club leaders.rnThe findings indicate that nearly equal proportion of the hearing impairedrn(62.4%) and the visually impaired (65%) of the respondents have had correctrnknowledge about the preventive measures of HIV/AIDS. Concerning thernhearing impaired respondents' attitude, 48% had unfavourable attitude andrn43.8% had favourable attitude about the preventive measures and 40.2% ofrnthem didn't take any precoutions not to be infected by HIV/AIDS but onlyrn17.8 percent. As regards the visual impaired respondents, 45.8% hadrnunfavourable attitude and 43.5% favourable attitude and 18.5% hadrnpracticed and 68.4% didn't have practice of HIV/AIDS preventive measures.rnThe visually impaired and the hearing impaired respondents didn't differrnsignificantly in their knowledge and attitude towards the preventivernmeasures. These groups, however, differ significantly in their behavior aboutrnthe preventive measures. Moreover, there was a significant relationshiprnamong knowledge, attitude and behavior within the above groups. And therernwas no statistically significant difference of knowledge and behavior betweenrnthe sexes within the groups. However, there was a statistically significantrndifference between the sexes within the groups in their attitude towards thernpreventive measures. Finally, mounting efforts of pertinent bodies werernrecommended to raise the over all awareness and to develop favourablernattitude towards the preventive measures and there by to avoid riskyrnbehaviors of HIV/AIDS infection