Youth awareness on sexually transmitted infections, HIV and AIDS in secondary schools in the Dschang Municipality (Cameroon): the Mobile Caravan Project

Awareness is a preventive action to instill in individuals certain concepts to improve their health. It is an essential element in the prevention of sexually transmitted infection (STI)/HIV and early pregnancies among adolescents. In 2012, the prevalence of HIVin Cameroon was estimated at 4.3%. The...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Journal of public health in Africa Vol. 7; no. 2
Main Authors:	Sobze, Martin Sanou, Tiotsia, Armand Tsapi, Djeunang Dongho, Ghyslaine Bruna, Tankui, Guy Aurelien Foaleng, Fokam, Joseph, Tsi, Kien-Atsu, Fotso, Jimmy Roger, Azeufack, Yannick Ngueko, Nkamedjie, Patrick Pete, Sali, Adogaye Ben Bechir, Mabvouna, Rodrigue Biguioh, Ercoli, Lucia, Colizzi, Vittorio, Russo, Gianluca
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	PAGEPress Publications, Pavia, Italy 18-01-2017 AOSIS
Subjects:	AIDS Awareness Dschang Mobile Caravan Project STD/HIV
Online Access:	Get full text
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Summary:	Awareness is a preventive action to instill in individuals certain concepts to improve their health. It is an essential element in the prevention of sexually transmitted infection (STI)/HIV and early pregnancies among adolescents. In 2012, the prevalence of HIVin Cameroon was estimated at 4.3%. The young population appear to be the most affected (3.2%); very close to that of the Dschang Health District (Cameroon; 3.1%) in the 15-19 years age group. Theaimof this study was to evaluate the contribution of the Mobile Caravan project on the preventive aspect of STI/HIV/AIDS among youths of Dschang in 10 secondary schools within three years. 2029 students joined the project’s activities and 58.55% of them belonged to the age group of 16-21 years. Most students attended private schools. Nearly 3/4 of students (1515/2029) had an acceptable level of knowledge regarding STI/HIV/AIDS, which increased in number each year (from 641 to 716 students between 2012 and 2014). The Level of knowledge was significantly determinedby the study cycle (P=0.0004), the type of school (P=0.0027) and the year ofimplementation of activities (P=0.0026). The caravan project has greatly contributed to improving young peoples’ awareness on STI/HIV/AIDS in Dschang Municipality.
Bibliography:	Contributions: GR, participated in the development of the study protocol, critical reading of the manuscript to improve its content and its scientific value; ATT, recruitment of study participants, data collection and examining of the questionnaires, analysis and interpretation, manuscript design; GBDD, development of the study protocol and definition of research objectives, critical reading of the manuscript; GAFT, recruitment of study participants, data collection and examining of the questionnaires; KAT, critical review and correction of several versions of the manuscript; JRF, analysis, interpretation and validation of data; JAN, ABBS, RBM, LE, JF, critical reading of several drafts of the manuscript; MSS, development of the study protocol and definition of research objectives;, interpretation and validation of data; VC, critical review of several versions of the manuscript. Conflict of interest: the authors declare no potential conflict of interest.
ISSN:	2038-9922 2038-9930
DOI:	10.4081/jphia.2016.614