KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HIV INFECTION THROUGH SEXUAL INTERCOURSE AMONG MALE STUDENTS IN HO CHI MINH CITY

Abstract

Background: Background: In recent years, the HIV infection rate in Vietnam has increased significantly, especially in men, and the main reason is due to unsafe sex sexual practice. In addition, not using condoms when having sex protection and permissive attitudes toward sex among male students are potential risks that increaseof the rate of HIV infection exposure among students. Therefore, this study was conducted to survey knowledge about HIV infection through sexual contact among male students in Ho Chi Minh City. From there, we can, to provide the necessary knowledge to help minimize new HIV infections incidence rate among male students as well as reduce the number of new HIV infections in Vietnam.

Objective: Determine the proportion of male students in Ho Chi Minh City who have correct knowledge about HIV infection through sexual.

Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 283 male students from 36 Universities and Colleges in Ho Chi Minh City during the period from April 2023 - July 2023. Use the reference question set from the Ministry of Health's IBBS question set. Data were processed using SPSS software version 22.0. Snowball sampling method, and self-filling informationdata collection by self-administration method were applied.

Results: Knowledge of male students about HIV/AIDS transmission through sexual activity of male students: The percentage of male students who correctly answered that they can contract HIV when having sexual intercourse with someone living with HIV without protection is 97.5%. The percentage of male students who answered correctly that using condoms correctly will reduce HIV infection was 82.3%. The percentage of male students who correctly answered that having sex with only one partner would reduce HIV infection was 88.7%. The proportion of male students who answered the question about which identified high-risk way sexual practice to have sex poses a risk of HIV infection waswere oral oral (50.53%), anal (74.45%), and traditional (85.52%).

Conclusion: In general, the proportion of students with adequate knowledge about HIV/AIDS transmission through sexual intercourse is was relatively high. There are needs to befor a solution to impact enhance students' knowledge, thereby contributing to influencing the attitudes and behaviors of male students to improve knowledge about HIV infection through sexual intercourse and reduce the number of HIV cases among male students in the city Ho Chi Minh City in particular and Vietnam in general.

Keywords: HIV; sexual intercourse; male students