Cent Eur J Public Health 2011, 19(2):79-83 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3633

Short risk behaviour knowledge index for HIV average risk population of sexual active age in Munich, Germany

Alexander V. Kuznetsov1, Michael Wiseman2, Thomas Ruzicka3, Stefan A. Zippel1, Laura Kuznetsov1
1 HIV/STI Prevention Research Group, Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Ludwig-Maximilian University, Munich, Germany
2 Leibniz Supercomputing Centre of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Garching, Germany
3 Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Ludwig-Maximilian University, Munich, Germany

Purpose: A short HIV/AIDS risk behaviour knowledge index based on questions about HIV transmission and prevention of HIV infection during sexual intercourse and intravenous drug use is proposed and implemented for an HIV average risk population in Munich.

Methods: Knowledge levels about HIV/AIDS risk behaviour was assessed in a group of people (n=210) in sexually active age range of 18-49 years which was at an average risk of contracting HIV. Four questions about HIV transmission by unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sexual intercourse, and by needle sharing, and two questions about HIV prevention by condom use, and the single use of needles and syringes were chosen from ten others for making a four level risk behaviour knowledge index (HIV/AIDS Transmission through Sex and Intravenous Drug Use, HATSIDU) internally consistent according to Cronbach's alpha.

Results: HATSIDU index (mean 3.0, SD±1.18) was not associated (p>0.05) with sex and marital status, but depended (p<0.05) on age, education and social status. General population of Munich in a sexually active age group of 40-49 years, or those without further education or the unemployed, had a significantly lower knowledge of HIV risk behaviour.

Conclusion: The HATSIDU is a simple and usable index for the assessment of HIV/AIDS risk behaviour knowledge in a population with an average risk of HIV infection.

Keywords: HIV, AIDS, risk behaviour knowledge

Received: July 22, 2010; Revised: March 7, 2011; Accepted: March 7, 2011; Published: June 1, 2011  Show citation

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Kuznetsov AV, Wiseman M, Ruzicka T, Zippel SA, Kuznetsov L. Short risk behaviour knowledge index for HIV average risk population of sexual active age in Munich, Germany. Cent Eur J Public Health. 2011;19(2):79-83. doi: 10.21101/cejph.a3633. PubMed PMID: 21739896.
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