Tamil Nadu - Chennai   

AIDS awareness high, but right information lacking

By M. Dinesh Varma

CHENNAI, MAY 28. Urban youth shared a high awareness of HIV/AIDS, but lacked access to right information on sexual health issues, according to behavioural surveys.

The feedback from a survey of youth in select schools and colleges in Chennai and five other cities showed that though they had access to the mass media and the Internet, they lacked accurate information on sexual health.

Several respondents complained that they had no one to discuss their doubts with, pointing to the need for strengthening peer education components in HIV/AIDS programmes.

Though awareness of HIV/AIDS was high among the majority of students, only 45 per cent had knowledge of misconceptions — many respondents harboured wrong notions of HIV/AIDS spreading through social contacts. Only 36 per cent of males and 28 per cent of female students received one-to-one education on HIV/AIDS.

The Behaviour Surveillance Survey (BSS) was conducted as part of the AIDS Prevention and Control Project (APAC) run by the Voluntary Health Services. This is the third BSS following the 1996-97 and 2000 surveys. Apart from the BSS, the APAC also conducted a descriptive study that brought to light several issues related to adolescent sexual behaviour.

The survey covered a sample size of 1,600 male students and 6,000 female students in schools and colleges. Apart from Chennai, the survey covered Madurai, Coimbatore, Salem, Vellore and Nagercoil. Information was collated from respondents through a 40-point questionnaire as well as focussed group discussion.

Though urban youth seemed to have a clear idea of the risks of paid sex, their low-risk perception of casual partners is cause for worry, said R. Lakshmibai, currently Project Director, Tamil Nadu AIDS Initiative.

In group discussions, several male respondents said sexual relationship could happen in the case of lovers. They, however, felt that pre-marital sex was a distraction and `spoilt the conscience'.

A cross section of male youth in colleges said they browsed `hot sites' on the Internet, frequented discotheques and dated regularly.

School dropouts and youth in urban slums who were also surveyed were found to engage in `high-risk' behaviour. This section, which earned money from menial jobs, was into alcohol and drug abuse and spent money on commercial sex workers, the study found.

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