In Botswana no study has examined the association between beliefs and attitudes of young people towards ARVs
and sexual risky behaviors. This paper aims to assess the association between beliefs and attitudes of youth about
ARVs and sexual risk behaviors. It is based on secondary data derived from the Botswana AIDS Impact Survey IV
(BAIS IV) which is the latest survey aimed at providing up to date information on HIV/AIDS pandemic in Botswana. A
sample of 2632 youth in ages 15-24 years was considered for analysis. About 11% of youth in the sample were of
the view that people on ARVs should not always use condoms, 5% believed ARVs cure AIDS, and 52% said that
their personal concern about getting HIV has not changed since the introduction of ARVs. Logistic regression results
indicate statistically significant association between having multiple sexual partners and the belief that people on
ARVs should not always use condoms (AOR, 1.5), and belief that a person on ARVs should stop taking them once
they feel better (AOR, 2.5). Moreover, young people who said that their personal concern about getting HIV has not
changed (AOR, 1.04) or those less concerned (AOR, 1.6) about getting HIV since the introduction of ARVs were
more likely to have multiple sexual partners. Meanwhile, there was no significant association observed between
some beliefs and attitudes about ARVs and inconsistent condom use, except for young people who said that they
are less concerned about getting HIV since the introduction of ARVs (AOR, 9.9). Beliefs and attitudes of youth about
ARVs suggest that more education efforts need to be incorporated in HIV care and treatment to reduce risky sexual
behaviors and HIV transmission among youth.