HIV/AIDS awareness among recently migrated Indian students to the United States.

According to the World Health Organization, by 1995 India will have the fastest growing HIV seropositive population in the world. The goal of this study was to show the need for extensive AIDS education in India. This was a pilot survey done on recently migrated college students of Indian origin, between the ages of 18-26 years, who have been in the United States for less than four years. Thirty-four students from various disciplines were randomly surveyed. 64.7% males and 29.4% were females. Although 11.8% personally knew people with HIV/AIDS, only 52.9% knew that HIV is the causative agent of AIDS. 8.8% thought HIV infection is a consequence of a chronic illness, such as tuberculosis. 2.9% thought that AIDS was completely curable and 20.6% felt that the infection can be medically/surgically cured. 8.8% did not identify DEATH as a consequence of AIDS. 52.9% felt that their knowledge about AIDS is inadequate. 79.4% felt that Indian people in general have inadequate HIV/AIDS knowledge. 79.4% felt that governmental support is inadequate. Our study clearly indicates inadequate understanding regarding the fatality of this disease among Indian students. However, these young adults acknowledge the fact that AIDS will have a devastating effect in India. [View Full Article]