Background: HIV/AIDS is recognized as a national priority health issue. Inadequate knowledge, negative attitudes
and risky practices are major obstacles to prevent the spread of HIV. With the above view the following study was
undertaken to assess the level of awareness regarding HIV/AIDS among school children, to raise their awareness
through health education program and to determine if the education program would bring about positive change in the
knowledge of high school students.
Methods: An interventional study was conducted in a school with all the class IX and X students. A pre-structured
questionnaire was used to assess the existing general knowledge on HIV/ AIDS, its mode of transmission, prevention,
and some attitude and beliefs. Thereafter educational intervention was done on the same day with the help of power
point presentations and black board. One week after the educational intervention, post-test was conducted to know the
change in the knowledge.
Results: The study revealed that out of 215 students all of the students had heard about HIV/AIDS but only 53.5%
knew that AIDS is caused by a virus. As regards to mode of transmission only 34.4% of the students knew about
sexual route. There was overall significant change in knowledge (p<0.000) after educational intervention. Univariable
logistic regression analyses indicated that before the intervention the students’ level of knowledge about HIV/AIDS
was significantly associated with age, grade, father’s occupation and mother’s educational status but when adjusted
with other variables father’s occupation lost its significance while the others retained it.
Conclusions: Educational programmes with specific intervention are recommended to increase awareness.