Background

Among adolescents, girls are particularly vulnerable not only because they are more likely to be coerced for unprotected sex but also because they are more susceptible biologically to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV infection. This study was carried out to determine the effectiveness of an educational intervention programme aimed at girls focusing on knowledge of and attitude to HIV/AIDS.

Method

An educational intervention study was carried out among 791 rural girls (16-19 years) randomly selected using stratified cluster sampling from coastal villages in Udupi Taluk, Karnataka, Southern India. They were educated regarding HIV/AIDS and their awareness levels were evaluated immediately and one month following intervention.

Results

Around 35-50% of the girls had misconceptions regarding the modes of transmission which significantly reduced to about 8 % after intervention (95% CI of difference in proportion = (9.2, 17.9); p