An Assessment Study on St. Mary's College of Quezon City Senior High School Students' Knowledge on HIV/AIDS

Abstract

The study is an assessment on St. Mary's College of Quezon City Senior High School students on the knowledge on HIV/AIDS started solely from curiosity. This study aims to assess the level of knowledge of Senior High School Marians on HIV/AIDS and to evaluate the knowledge and primary background information about HIV and AIDS. The study aims to distinguish which students or how many students are aware and are able to identify the causes, symptoms, treatments, cure, social and psychological effects of HIV/AIDS and what are the respondents' reference on gaining knowledge on this topic. Most respondents were familiar with the main routes of HIV transmission through sexual intercourse but had substantial misconceptions about risk of HIV transmission through sharing of saliva and kissing. 54% of the respondents knew that there is a treatment for HIV/AIDS yet the respondents are unfamiliar on what is this type of treatment, anti-retroviral treatment or ART therapy. 70% of the respondents recognized that there is no cure for HIV/AIDS at present. On the other hand, there have been misconceptions and low awareness on how to address an individual with HIV/AIDS, and the acronym meaning of HIV and AIDS. 52% of the respondents answered "HIV Positive"on addressing an individual with HIV/AIDS, while the correct address to an individual should be People Living with HIV or PLHIVs had only 10%. For the acronym meaning of HIV, Human Immunodeficiency Virus had only 13% correct answers out of 120 respondents. Only 2% of the respondents answered with the correct acronym of AIDS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Virus. The top reference of Senior HighSchool Students on gaining knowledge on HIV/AIDS is through the means of the Internet and Social Media.