Awareness, Knowledge and Misconceptions about STIs and HIV/AIDS in Selected States of India: Evidences from CHARCA Baseline Survey

Saurabh Singh, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)
Shrikant Singh, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)
Vijaylakshmi Singh, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)

This study is based on secondary data collected through the CHARCA (Coordinated HIV/AIDS response through capacity building and awareness) baseline survey conducted by International Institute for Population Sciences in 2004 in five districts namely Aizwal, Bellary, Guntur, Kanpur and Kishenganj. The paper presents the insights and plausible explanations of the extent of knowledge, awareness and misconceptions about STIs and HIV/AIDS among both married and unmarried men (15-29 years) and women (13-24 years). The results suggest that married women are having a lower level of knowledge about the modes of transmission of STI and HIV/AIDS as compared to unmarried women. The situation becomes depressing when we look at misconceptions about HIV/AIDS. Misconceptions of HIV/AIDS have been increasing with the increase in knowledge among unmarried women. Males are getting very less information on sexuality from their parents and teachers/schools during their process of growing up which definitely needs focused programmatic interventions.