| Abstract: | HIV and its effect, the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), are rampant
worldwide problems with broad social, cultural, economical implications. Never in
history has there arisen such a widespread and fundamental threat to human
development as HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS 2004). It is universally acknowledged that
AIDS is unique in its rapid spread, its extent and the depth of its impact. With the
intention of assessing the Ethiopian experience, the present study attempted to
examine the relationship of public and private college students’ knowledge about
HIV/AIDS, risk reduction behaviors and readiness to undergo Voluntary
Counseling and Testing (VCT) for HIV. To attain at this objective, 384 (237 public
147 private) college students from Arsi Zone of the Oromia regional state, were
randomly selected and involved in this study. Pilot-tested self-rating questionnaire
was used to gather the required information for the study. For data analysis, both
descriptive and inferential statistics like simple and multiplier regressions and t test
were employed. Analysis of the data revealed that knowledge about HIV/AIDS and
risk reduction behaviors show some relationship but knowledge about HIV/AIDS
did not predict the participants’ readiness to access VCT services. On the other
hand, related knowledge about HIV/ AIDS together with risk reduction behavior
was found to contribute for the participants’ readiness to access VCT. Furthermore,
the present study revealed that male and female participants did not show
significant difference in HIV/AIDS related knowledge and readiness to undergo
VCT. In risk reduction behaviors, however, female participants were found to be
less effective than their male counterparts. |
