Table 3 Assessment of HIV knowledge among adolescents living with HIV with and without viral suppression
HIV knowledge | Total (n = 328) n (%) | Latest viral load count | |
|---|---|---|---|
≥ 1000 RNA copies/mL (n = 76) | < 1000 RNA copies/mL (n = 252) | ||
n (%) | n (%) | ||
HIV is a virus that attacks a person’s immune system | |||
 True | 263 (80.2) | 58 (76.3) | 205 (81.3) |
 False | 44 (13.4) | 11 (14.5) | 33 (13.1) |
 Don’t know | 21 (6.4) | 7 (9.2) | 14 (5.6) |
The cells of immune system that fight infections are called CD4 cells | |||
 True | 203 (61.9) | 44 (57.9) | 159 (63.1) |
 False | 22 (6.7) | 4 (5.3) | 18 (7.1) |
 Don’t know | 103 (31.4) | 28 (36.8) | 75 (29.8) |
The amount of HIV in a person’s blood is called viral load | |||
 True | 160 (48.8) | 35 (46.1) | 125 (49.6) |
 False | 26 (7.9) | 5 (6.6) | 21 (8.3) |
 Don’t know | 142 (43.3) | 36 (47.4) | 106 (42.1) |
There is a cure for AIDS | |||
 True | 138 (42.1) | 46 (60.5) | 92 (36.5) |
 False | 165 (50.3) | 23 (30.3) | 142 (56.3) |
 Don’t know | 25 (27.6) | 7 (9.2) | 18 (7.1) |
You can tell a person has HIV by looking at him or her | |||
 True | 46 (14.0) | 11 (14.5) | 35 (13.9) |
 False | 269 (82.0) | 63 (82.9) | 206 (81.7) |
 Don’t know | 13 (4.0) | 2 (2.6) | 11 (4.0) |
A person will stay healthy if their CD4 cells are high and their viral load is low | |||
 True | 284 (86.6) | 68 (89.5) | 216 (85.7) |
 False | 23 (7.0) | 4 (5.3) | 19 (7.5) |
 Don’t know | 21 (6.4) | 4 (5.3) | 17 (6.7) |
Even though a person with HIV may feel healthy, the virus can still be damaging his or her immune system | |||
 True | 248 (75.9) | 64 (84.2) | 184 (73.0) |
 False | 65 (19.8) | 10 (13.2) | 55 (21.8) |
 Don’t know | 15 (4.6) | 2 (2.6) | 13 (5.2) |
If both partners are HIV positive, they don’t have to use a condom | |||
 True | 125 (38.1) | 34 (44.7) | 91 (36.1) |
 False | 155 (47.3) | 33 (44.3) | 122 (48.4) |
 Don’t know | 48 (14.6) | 9 (11.8) | 39 (15.5) |
If people living with HIV take medicines, they don’t have to use a condom | |||
 True | 86 (26.2) | 20 (26.3) | 66 (26.2) |
 False | 193 (58.8) | 42 (55.3) | 151 (59.9) |
 Don’t know | 49 (14.9) | 14 (18.4) | 35 (13.9) |
It is okay for people living with HIV to miss their medicines | |||
 True | 43 (13.1) | 13 (17.1) | 30 (11.9) |
 False | 274 (83.5) | 61 (80.3) | 213 (84.5) |
 Don’t know | 11 (3.4) | 2 (2.6) | 9 (3.6) |