Abstract

In this qualitative exploratory study, we explored the views of high school students on how the incidence of HIV/AIDS in Trinidad had influenced their personal experiences of engaging or not engaging in sexual activities and their knowledge about the prevention and spread of HIV/AIDS. We conducted face-to-face interviews with 46 students (23 males and 23 females) who ranged in age from 15 to 19. Four major themes emerged: (a) feelings of how HIV/AIDS affected their lives, (b) deciding to abstain from sexual activity, (c) protecting self from HIV/AIDS, and (d) reasons for engaging in sexual activities. Adolescence is a high-risk time for HIV transfer by sexual exploration and experimentation. In the present study 33% of females and 24% of males indicated that they were sexually active. Two-thirds of the males but only one-third of the females reported using condoms all the time. Of the 12 sexually active students who did not use condoms all the time, five had never been tested for HIV/AIDS, which put them at risk for being infected with the HIV virus or other diseases such as gonorrhea, syphilis, and human papilloma virus (HPV) that can be spread to another person during sexual activity.

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