Awareness Regarding HIV AIDS Among Non Medical u niversity Students (Mehroash Irshad,Muhammad Javaid,Maryum Irshad,Nudrat Jahan,Sehar Javaid,Arisha Qawal,Aqsa Iqbal,Nadia Khalid)

Objectives: To assess the awareness regarding HIV-AIDS among non medical students.Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross sectional Institute based study was conducted by the fourth yearmedical students of Bahria University Medical and Dental College, Karachi as their assigned project in the subjectof Community Health Sciences. The study was carried out among non-medical students of NUST, NED and BahriaUniversity, Karachi from Jan 2013 – June 2013. A five question, knowledge based questionnaire developed fromCarey and Schroder was used to assess the awareness of the students regarding HIV-AIDS. Convenient samplingtechnique was used for selecting the participants. After verbal informed consent 105students participated in thestudy. Five questionnaire forms were excluded due to incomplete filling.Results: A total of 133 students were approached and 105 (79%) responded that they were aware of the term HIVAIDS.100 students completely filled out the proforma and out of these only39% responded that they knew therelationship of HIV positive and having AIDS. 90% responded in favor of sexual contact as the main mode oftransmission. Homosexuals were regarded to be the highest risk group (71%) for having HIV-AIDS by the students.Regarding preventive measures highest response (50%) came in favor of commercial sex control.Conclusions: Assessment of awareness regarding HIV-AIDS among non medical students was found to be deficientin context to relationship of HIV positive and having AIDS, mode of transmission, high risk group, and preventiveand control measures