Knowledge Of AIDS Among Rural Adolescents in Kwara State of Nigeria

560 adolescents from rural communities in Kwara State were randomly selected for this study. They were given a copy each of knowledge of Aids Questionnaire (KAQ) to complete. The KAQ which consisted of 25 items and possessed a test-retest reliability co-efficient of 0.27, explored respondents knowledge in terms of causes, signs and symptoms, mode of transmission, prevention and control of AIDS. The result showed that about 39% of the respondents knew that AIDS was caused by a Human Immune-deficiency Virus (HIV) and the remaining 61% wrongly offered different causes for AIDS. About 65% correctly explained the symptoms and 72% knew how AIDS can be transmitted. 32% and 29% favour provision of Health Education and use of disposable skin piercing instruments respectively as ways of controlling AIDS. The study therefore recommended public enlightenment and counselling for the containment of AIDS in rural areas. Nigerian Quarterly Journal of Hospital Medicine Vol. 9, No. 1 (1999) pp. 31-3