HIV/AIDS-RELATED KNOWLEDGE AND PARENT-TEENAGER COMMUNICATION IN CORRELATION WITH TEENAGER�S ATTITUDE TOWARDS HIV/AIDS INFECTION RISK BEHAVIOR IN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS IN DILI, TIMOR LESTE

Background: The group susceptible to HIV disease are teenagers because the disease is closely related to lifestyle particularly sexual behavior, drug abuse and lack of knowledge on reproductive health. The condition that teenagers have not had mental maturity since they are in search of self-identify may make them susceptible to temptation in their social environment. Data of knowledge on HIV/AIDS in senior high school students at Timor Leste have never been published. However, the result of interview with senior high school students showed that they tend to consider HIV/AIDS disease as a disease of Western people and when they have sex with the one they love they will not get HIV/AIDS infection. Objective: The study aimed to identify association between knowledge on HIV/AIDS, communication of parents and attitude of teenagers toward behavior of HIV/AIDS risk in private and public senior high schools of Dili. Method: The study was observational with cross sectional design. Subject of the study were teenagers at private and public senior high schools at Dili. Samples consisted of 376 people. Data were obtained through self reported structured questionnaire and analyzed using chi square statistical test and logistic regression. Result: There was significant association between knowledge on HIV/AIDS and attitude of HIV/AIDS risk behavior with p=0.000 < p=0.0