This study identified factors influencing the practice of HIV prevention behaviours amongst Tanzania youths. Structured interviews with in-school youths (n=222) and out-of school youths (n=150); and focus groups discussions with 25 youths were conducted to collect data.
Although the level of HIV/AIDS awareness was 97.6% and 58.5% of the youths had positive attitudes towards HIV prevention, only 50.8% practised at least one mode of HIV prevention. Factors which promoted HIV prevention practices included positive attitudes towards specific preventive behaviours and the individual’s self-efficacy to enact such behaviours. The barriers against the practice of HIV prevention behaviours included the lack of comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS and HIV prevention, socio-economic issues such as unemployment, influx of mobile populations, loss of cultural values, negative social norms, peer pressure, alcohol abuse and the lack of adequate HIV preventive services.