The Relationship between Access to Mass Media and HIV/AIDS Related Knowledge, Beliefs and Behaviours in Kenya

Abstract

We scrutinized the association between access to mass media and HIV/AIDS related knowledge, beliefs and behaviours in Kenya. Methods: Data on a representative sample of Kenyan women between 15 - 30 years of age (n = 3909) was retrieved from the Kenyan demographic and health survey (DHS 2008) and analyzed using Chi-square tests and binary logistic regression. Results: Media use was common with over 70% of participants using radio at least once a week. Between 3% - 30% of participants had poor to inadequate knowledge/beliefs about HIV/AIDS, with variations depending on demographic and social factors such as age, education, literacy, wealth and residential area. HIV/AIDS knowledge, beliefs and behaviours were associated with exposure to media, even after control for possible co-variation with social and demographic factor. Conclusion: Despite wide exposure to media among young Kenyan women, substantial proportions have poor to inadequate knowledge of the aetiology, risk/protective factors and control measures of HIV/AIDS. Yet, such knowledge was positively associated with media use. Media thus could ideally be used to implement a comprehensive awareness campaign in the general population about the aetiology, risk/protective factors and control measures in HIV/AIDS.