Background: HIV/AIDS is highly prevalent among youth. Inadequate knowledge and major
misconceptions related to HIV/AIDS among adolescents/ youth including university students
would increase its transmission.
Objectives: This study aimed to assess knowledge about HIV/AIDS and its determinants
among Assiut University students.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on representative sample of 776 students in
Assiut University. A multistage stratified cluster sampling technique was used. A self-
administered questionnaire was used to collect data. HIV/AIDs knowledge was assessed and a
knowledge score was calculated.
Results: Only 70.5% of Assiut University students have heard about AIDS. The main sources
of the students’ knowledge were media (46.3%), internet (44.6 %), school (28 %), university
educational courses and health education sessions (27.8 %), friends (23.9 %) and family (22.5
%). The students in the study had a low knowledge score of 35 percent. Some misconceptions
about transmission were observed such as AIDS transmission by mosquito bite (30%), hugging
(19%), eating with infected person (17.5%) or being a hereditary disease (16%). Only 18%
know that condoms would protect from HIV infection and 28% knew that patients could look 2

normal without symptoms. Only 45.2% of the students knew HIV testing site. By applying
Logistic regression analysis, the predictors of higher knowledge score about HIV/AIDS were
being a medical faculty student, higher (fourth) grade, urban residence and family/university as
sources of information.
Conclusion and recommendation: University students AIDS related knowledge is inadequate.
The role of university as an important source of raising awareness of the university students
should be activated by including AIDS related topics into the curriculum and conducting
counseling and health awareness sessions especially in non-medical faculties. Also, efforts
should be directed to approach the youth families and youth residing in rural areas and raising
their awareness.