RESEARCH PAPER
The relationship between HIV/AIDS knowledge level and sexual risk-taking behavior among university students in Turkey
1
Giresun University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Midwifery, Giresun, Turkey
2
Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Women’s Health and Diseases, Nursing Department, Tokat, Turkey
Submission date: 2022-12-25
Final revision date: 2023-09-13
Acceptance date: 2023-09-21
Publication date: 2026-07-01
Corresponding author
HIV & AIDS Review 2026;25(2):143-150
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Background:
Although risky sexual behavior is a common problem among university students, they present low level of knowledge about human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). The aim of this descriptive study was to determine the relationship between university students' level of knowledge about HIV/AIDS and their sexual risk-taking behavior.
Material and methods:
The study included 501 university students. Data were collected with a questionnaire developed by the researchers, in line with the literature, using sexual risk-taking scale and HIV Knowledge Questionnaire. Data were analyzed with SPSS for Windows 25.0 software. Descriptive analyses (number, percentage, mean, and standard deviation) and Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney-U, and hierarchical regression test methods were employed to compare quantitative data in non-normally distributed scales. Correlation analysis was used to assess the relationship between continuous variables.
Results:
According to the results of our study, the mean score of sexual risk-taking behavior of female students was significantly lower than that of male students (p < 0.05). Being male and having sexual experience explained approximately 58% of the variance in sexual risk-taking behavior. It was found that level of knowledge about HIV predicted sexual risk-taking behavior in a statistically significant way (R2 = 59%). There was a positive relationship between gender and sexual risk-taking behavior at a moderate level (0.487), a strong positive relationship between sexual experience and sexual risk-taking behavior (0.737), and a weak positive relationship between HIV knowledge level and sexual risk-taking behavior (0.175) (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
According to the results of our study, it was determined that the mean scores of sexual risk-taking behavior of male students and students with previous sexual experience, were higher than those of students without sexual experience. It was shown that there was no relationship between gender and HIV/AIDS knowledge level. Although the students had a high level of HIV/AIDS knowledge, it did not reflect in their attitudes and behaviors sufficiently while engaging in sexual risk-taking behaviors.
Although risky sexual behavior is a common problem among university students, they present low level of knowledge about human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). The aim of this descriptive study was to determine the relationship between university students' level of knowledge about HIV/AIDS and their sexual risk-taking behavior.
Material and methods:
The study included 501 university students. Data were collected with a questionnaire developed by the researchers, in line with the literature, using sexual risk-taking scale and HIV Knowledge Questionnaire. Data were analyzed with SPSS for Windows 25.0 software. Descriptive analyses (number, percentage, mean, and standard deviation) and Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney-U, and hierarchical regression test methods were employed to compare quantitative data in non-normally distributed scales. Correlation analysis was used to assess the relationship between continuous variables.
Results:
According to the results of our study, the mean score of sexual risk-taking behavior of female students was significantly lower than that of male students (p < 0.05). Being male and having sexual experience explained approximately 58% of the variance in sexual risk-taking behavior. It was found that level of knowledge about HIV predicted sexual risk-taking behavior in a statistically significant way (R2 = 59%). There was a positive relationship between gender and sexual risk-taking behavior at a moderate level (0.487), a strong positive relationship between sexual experience and sexual risk-taking behavior (0.737), and a weak positive relationship between HIV knowledge level and sexual risk-taking behavior (0.175) (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
According to the results of our study, it was determined that the mean scores of sexual risk-taking behavior of male students and students with previous sexual experience, were higher than those of students without sexual experience. It was shown that there was no relationship between gender and HIV/AIDS knowledge level. Although the students had a high level of HIV/AIDS knowledge, it did not reflect in their attitudes and behaviors sufficiently while engaging in sexual risk-taking behaviors.
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| eISSN: | 1732-2707 |
| ISSN: | 1730-1270 |
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