HIV Knowledge, Risk Behaviors and Perception of Risk among College Students

An estimated 4,883 young people (13-24) in the US received an HIV/AIDS diagnosis in 2004 representing about 13% of all diagnosis. The cumulative number at the end of the same year was 39,100 (CDC, 2005). At the end of 2001 African Americans accounted for 56% of cumulative HIV infections among young adults and 55% of infections in 2004. Among college student, it is estimated that 1 in 500 is infected with HIV.

In 2007, we surveyed 390 (271 female, 119 male) college students to determine the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors of college students regarding HIV prevention and perception of their HIV risk. Mean age of participants was 23.7 (+ 9.9); 91% have never been married; 87% were sexually active; 53% became sexually active before the age of 17 years. Eighty three percent self identified as African American; 53% as heterosexual, 42% as homosexual and 5% as bisexual. Among sexually active respondents, 37.9% reported using condom always in the last 30 days. Almost 60% male and 46.5% female respondents reported having two or more lifetime female and male sexual partners, respectively. About 11% reported alcohol or drug use before their last sexual intercourse.

Most male respondents had poor perception of their HIV risk despite having high risk sexual behaviors; 50% who had two or more lifetime sexual partners perceived themselves as having no chance of contracting HIV while 10% thought they had a good chance of contracting HIV. Only 11.6% of men who had sex with two or more women in the last 30 days perceived themselves as being at risk for HIV infection similar to 16.1% of men who had sex with two or more men. Among men who did not use condom all the time in the last 30 days, 2.6% perceived themselves as being at risk for HIV infection; and among men who did not use condom during the last sexual intercourse, 4.2% perceived themselves at risk of contracting HIV. These findings highlight the need for enhanced HIV-prevention programs for college students in general and African American college students in particular.