HIV-infection is one of the main health problems all over the world. According to the dates of World Health Organization, there are 34 to 39.8 million of HIV-infected people in the world, a large percentage of whom are young people. The population's awareness of this disease is low and sanitary education among young people is extremely important.
Aim of investigation is to assess the awareness of HIV-infection prevention among young people.
Material and methods of investigation. The survey of 100schoolchildren was conducted. The questionnaire contained questions about HIV-infection, ways of transmission, prevention measures.
Results of the study. 68% of students were girls, 32% - boys. 94% of respondents knew what is HIV- infection. Answers to the question "What is AIDS?" were following: the last stage of HIV-infection (59%); the disease affecting the immune system (32%); the disease like gonorrhea (6%); the type of blood cancer (3%). 45% of students believed that HIV is a virus that causes HIV infection and AIDS is the last stage of HIV-infection, 19% thought that there is no difference between them, 19% supposed that HIV-infection is mild disease and AIDS is serious disease, 13% answered that they are different diseases and 4% found it difficult to answer this question. Most of students believed that condoms protect against HIV-infection (81%), 13% thought that contraceptive pills are preventive methods, 6% - intrauterine device. 71% of the respondents answered that drug addicts are the main risk group for HIV-infection, 10% thought that they are sexual minorities, 10% - newborns, 6% - donors, 3% - commercial sex workers. 45% of students answered that method of protection of HIV-infection is to avoid accidental sexual intercourse, 19% thought that they can protect themselves from this infection using personal hygiene items, 16% - condoms, 10% - taking a shower after intercourse, 10% - being ware of public toilets. 61% knew that people can be infected through used syringes, 20% - other people's hygiene products, 13% - patient's ware, 3% - public toilet, and 3% - hugging a person with AIDS. 29% of the respondents thought that HIV/AIDS can be cured, 55% - knew that there is no cure, 16% found it difficult to answer. 32% of students knew about HIV-infection from internet, 22% - from teachers, 13% - from medical workers, 10% - from friends, surroundings, 10% - from relatives, 7% - from brochures, leaflets, 6% - from radio/TV.29% of the respondents wanted to receive information about HIV/AIDS in the form of seminars, trainings, group discussions, role-playing games, 26% - video lecture,23% - visual aids, 12% - mass events (actions, festivals, shows, forum), 10% - practice. 26% of young people knew phone hotlines, 74% - didn’t know this.
Conclusions. The majority of respondents (94%) knew what HIV-infection is, but many students did not know the difference between HIV and AIDS. The knowledge of students about prevention, ways of transmission were not good and the prevailing number of respondents (74%) do not know hotline phones. So the young generation has low awareness of HIV/AIDS, therefore, sanitary-educational work is important measure of primary prevention.