English abstract
Objectives: Understanding factors associated with the level of human immunodeficiency virus
(HIV) knowledge acquisition is crucial to inform preventative programmes for young people. This study examines
predictors of HIV knowledge among Jordanian youths. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted
among 8,129 youths aged between 14 and 25 years randomly selected from schools representing each of the 12
governorates of Jordan. A total of 50% of respondents were female and, on average, 17 years old. Participants
completed a self-administered questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics, HIV knowledge, gender
awareness, exposure to and favourable attitudes toward risky behaviours. Results: On a 13-item HIV knowledge
test, participants answered an average of 7 questions correctly (mean = 7.21; standard deviation = 2.63). Female
respondents from rural areas demonstrated significantly lower levels of HIV knowledge, while college and university
students demonstrated higher levels. HIV knowledge differed significantly by sources of information, with peeracquired
information associated with more accuracy, while HIV information from parents or health centres was
associated with a lower score. Youths with more egalitarian gender views also demonstrated higher knowledge
levels, whereas youths approving of drug use showed lower levels of HIV knowledge. Conclusion: HIV education
programmes in Jordan should focus on females and youths living in rural areas. Educational institutions have been
shown to be effective in providing accurate information to students, while parents and health professionals should
also be included in HIV prevention programmes in order to reduce misconceptions and raise the level of HIV
knowledge among Jordanian youths.
