Knowledge on AIDS among Female Adolescents in Bangladesh: Evidence from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey

Author: M. Asaduzzaman Khan

To assess the knowledge on acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) among female adolescents in Bangladesh, this study used data extracted from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health (BDHS) 1996-1997. Of 1,446 ever-married women included in the study, most were currently (96%), Muslims (92%) and from rural areas (91%). Only one in six adolescents had ever heard AIDS. Of them, 57% reported AIDS as a fatal disease almost always, while only 22% believed AIDS could be avoided. Multivariate analysis revealed that knowledge on AIDS was strongly positively associated with education of female adolescents and their husbands and varied significantly across different parts of the country. Knowledge on AIDS was higher among relatively urban residents who had access to television or radio and whose husbands were using condom. efforts are needed to improve awareness and to clarify misconceptions about AIDS. Improved to education, mass-media, and promotion of condom use could prevent AIDS among adolescents in Bangladesh.

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