Abstract

Young adults worldwide are particularly affected by the HIV/AIDS menace because they are the most sexually active and adventurous members of the population. Due to the morbidity, complications and mortality associated with HIV/AIDS, governments and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) worldwide have put in place pragmatic and gold standard interventions to curb the menace. This study sought to assess the knowledge, attitude and sexual behaviour of students of a tertiary institution in Ghana in relation to HIV/AIDS. Through a stratified-sampling technique, 492 students were assessed by selfadministered questionnaires in March 2012. Sixty-seven percent (67%) of respondents identified “television” as their most important source of information about HIV/AIDS. There were a lot of identified misconceptions about HIV/AIDS modes of transmission including mosquito bites (31%) and public toilets (33%). Forty one percent (41%) thought that HIV positive people should not be admitted into mainstream schools whiles 30% would not sit close to an HIV positive student. Majority of respondents wanted to know more about HIV/AIDS. In this study knowledge level was associated with students' attitudes towards the disease. Although knowledge level seemed quite high, misconceptions about modes of disease transmission and intolerant attitudes towards HIV/AIDS infected people were common. We recommend that strategies for HIV/AIDS prevention be emphasized more in tertiary institutions. Keywords: Amorbidity; mortality; complications; stratified-sampling technique; misconceptions..