Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2001-2002 - Measure DHS

Table 13.2 Knowledge of ways to avoid HIV/AIDSPercentage of women and men who spontaneously mentioned ways to avoidHIV/AIDS, Zambia 2001-2002––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Ways to avoid AIDS Women Men––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Does not know of AIDS or if AIDS can be avoided 8.6 3.3Believes no way to avoid AIDS 6.1 4.21Does not know specific way to avoid AIDS 0.8 0.5Ways to avoid AIDSAbstain from sex 43.7 52.9Use condoms 48.4 61.9Limit number of sexual partners 8.1 4.8Limit sex to one partner/stay faithful to one partner 45.9 33.4Avoid sex with prostitutes 1.5 6.3Avoid sex with persons who have many partners 1.2 2Avoid sex with homosexuals 0.1 0.1Avoid sex with persons who inject drugs intravenously 0.2 0.8Avoid blood transfusions 1.5 2.5Avoid injections 2.0 4.1Avoid sharing razor/ blades 5.2 6.7Avoid kissing 0.1 0.7Avoid mosquito bites 0.1 0.1Seek protection from traditional practitioner 0.1 0.2Other 1.8 2.1Number of women 7,658 2,145––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––1 Believes there is something a person can do to avoid AIDS, but cannot spontaneouslymention any specific way13.2.2 Knowledge of Programmatically Important Ways to Avoid HIV/AIDSThere are 3 programmatically important ways to avoid contracting HIV. These are: 1) abstainingfrom sex; 2) being faithful in unions or limiting the number of sexual partners, and 3) consistent condomuse. During the 2001-2002 ZDHS, respondents were asked whether condom use and limiting partnerscould reduce the risk of contracting HIV.Table 13.3 shows that 78 percent of women and 86 percent of men know at least two programmaticways of avoiding HIV infection. In addition, 7 percent of women and men know only one way toavoid HIV/AIDS, while 15 percent of women and 8 percent of men do not know any way to avoid AIDS.Regarding particular methods, 72 percent of women and 79 of men know that condom use is ameans to prevent contracting HIV/AIDS, while 82 percent of women and 86 percent of men know that bylimiting the number of sexual partners one can avoid contracting HIV/AIDS. It is clear that when respondentsare asked specific questions about HIV prevention methods, knowledge is higher than when theyare asked to spontaneously mention methods.Men and women who have never married or never had sex are less knowledgeable about ways ofavoiding HIV/AIDS, compared with those who have married or had sex.AIDS/HIV/STI-Related Knowledge and Behaviour | 197