Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

An Assessment of HIV/AIDS Risk in Higher Education Students in Yerevan, Armenia

  • Published:
AIDS and Behavior Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Armenia's current sociopolitical and economic instability and the alarming HIV incidence rates in neighboring countries amplify its risk for a national epidemic. The goals of this study were to assess HIV/AIDS knowledge and risk behaviors among higher education students in Yerevan. Knowledge of HIV transmission through sexual intercourse was markedly higher than that on intravenous transmission and prevailing myths; however, HIV/AIDS knowledge was not related to risk behaviors. Tobacco and alcohol prevalence was relatively high. Students reported risky sexual behaviors, including inconsistent condom use, casual sex, and multiple partners. In addition to descriptive statistics delineating gender differences across the target behavioral domains, bivariate and multivariate statistical analyses were used to understand factors that contributed to increased risk, including early age of initiation and the relationship between substance use and risky sexual activity. The study results provide much-needed information for the development of school- and community-based AIDS prevention programs in Armenia.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Amirkhanian, Y. A., Dennia, V., and Kelly, J. A. (2001). Risk factors for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases among adolescents in St. Petersburg, Russia. Family Planning Perspectives, 33, 106-112.

    Google Scholar 

  • Atovmyan, M. (2001). Issues of prostitution and trafficking of women in Armenia (United Nations Development Program Gender Studies Report.) Retrieved on May 1, 2001 from http://www.undp.am/archive/gender/Studies/MGGS/3.htm.

  • Bakalian, A. (1993). Armenian-Americans: From being to feeling Armenian. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonard, L., Janin-Jacquat, B., and Michaud, P. (2001). Who are the adolescents who stop smoking quest; European Journal of Pediatrics, 160, 430-435.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boyer, C. B., and Tschann, J. M. (1999). Predictors of risk for sexually transmitted disease in ninth grade urban high school students. Journal of Adolescent Research, 14, 448-466.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, L. K., DiClemente, R. J., and Beausoleil, N. I. (1992). Comparison of human immunodeficiency virus related knowledge, attitudes, intentions, and behaviors among sexually active and absent young adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Health, 13, 140-145.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carasso, M. J. (1998). Renegotiating HIV/AIDS prevention for adolescents. Issues in Comprehensive Pediatric NI0, 21, 203-261.

    Google Scholar 

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2003). Youth risk behavioral surveillance sY0. Available at www.cdc.gov/yrbss.

  • Costa, F. M., Jessor, R., and Turbin, M. S. (1999). Transition into adolescent problem drinking: The role of psychosocial risk and protective factors. Journal of Studies on AJ0, 60, 480-490.

    Google Scholar 

  • DiClemente, R. J., Brown, L. K., Beausoleil, N. I., and Lodico, M. (1993). Comparison of AIDS knowledge and HIV-related sexual risk behaviors among adolescents in low and high AIDS prevalence communities. Journal of Adolescent Health, 14, 231-236.

    Google Scholar 

  • DiClemente, R. J., Hansen, W. B., and Ponton, L. E. (Eds.). (1996). Handbook of adolescent health risk behavior. New York: Plenum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hakobian, J. (2001). AIDS in Armenia: Experts battle ignorance and apathy. Armenia Week, 2001 (December 7). Available at www.armeniaweek.com/dec072001/aids.html.

  • Harutyunyan, T., Ghukasyan, G., Chilingaryan, G., Hovhannisyan, L., Manukyan, R., and Petrosyan, V. (1998). The problem of sexually transmitted diseases in Armenia. Yerevan: Armenia: American University of Armenia. Public Health Department.

    Google Scholar 

  • Henshaw, S. K., Singh S., and Haas, T. (1999). The incidence of abortion worldwide. International Family Planning Perspectives, 25 (Supplement), S30-S388.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hingson, R. W., and Strunin, L. (1992). Monitoring adolescents apos; response to the AIDS epidemic: Changes in knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. In R. J. DiClemente (Ed.), Adolescents and AIDS: A generation in jeopardy (pp. 17-33). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hochhauser, M. (1989). AIDS and chemical dependency: Prevention needs of adolescents. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 21, 381-385.

    Google Scholar 

  • International Center for Alcohol Policies (2002). Drinking age limits. Retrieved on July 24, 2002 from http://www.oicap. org/publications/report4.html.

  • Jaccard, J., and Wan, C. K. (1996). LISREL approaches to interaction eL0 L1L2 L3L4 L5L6. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keller, S. E., Bartlett, J. A., Schleifer, S. J., Johnson, R. L., Pinner, E., and Delaney, B. (1991). HIV-related sexual behavior among a healthy inner-city heterosexual adolescent population in an endemic area of HIV. Journal of Adolescent Health, 12, 44-48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewinsohn, P. M., Brown, R. A., Seeley, J. R., and Ramsey, S. E. (2000). Psychosocial correlates of cigarette smoking abstinence, experimentation, persistence and frequency during adolescents. Nicotine and Tobacco Research, 2, 121-131.

    Google Scholar 

  • Markosyan, K. (2000). Substance use prevention school project: Development, implementation, and evaluation. Executive summary. Yerevan, Armenia: American University of Armenia, Center for Health Sciences Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • McGoldrick, M., Pearce, J. K., and Giordano, J. (Eds.). (1982). Ethnicity and family therapy. New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Melikyan, G. L. (1999). HIV infection among commercial sex workers in Yerevan: Findings and policy recommendations. Armenian Forum: A Journal of Contemporary Affairs, 2, 1-16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Health. (2000, September). Spread of HIV infection in Armenia. Yerevan, Armenia: National Center for AIDS.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mott, F. L., and Haurin, R. J. (1988). Linkages between sexual activity and alcohol and drug use among American adolescents. Family Planning Perspectives, 20, 128-136.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nagy, S., Hunt, B., and Adcock, A. (1990). A comparison of AIDS and STD knowledge between sexually active alcohol consumers and abstainers. Journal of School Health, 60, 276-279.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Tobacco Control Program. (2002). Law of the Republic of Armenia on Tobacco Control (Draft). Retrieved on July 24, 2002 from http://tobaccocontrol.am/lw-tc(draft).html.

  • Rosenbaum, E., and Kandel, D. B. (1990). Early onset of adolescent sexual behavior and drug involvement. Journal of Marriage and tJ0 J1J2, 52, 783-798.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shafer, M., and Boyer, C. B. (1991). Psychosocial and behavioral factors associated with risk of sexually transmitted diseases, including immunodeficiency virus infection, among urban high school students. Journal of Pediatrics, 199, 826-833.

    Google Scholar 

  • Soros Foundation Network. (2002). The crisis: Rising drug use and HIV in Eastern Europe. Retrieved on July 22, 2002 from www.soros.org/harm-reduction/resourceguide/text/IHRD3.html.

  • Stinson, F. S., and DeBakey, S. F. (1993). Prevalence of alcohol problems among selected AIDS groups: United States, 1988. Addiction, 88, 1139-1147.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tabachnick, B. G., and Fidell, L. S. (2001). Using multivariate statistics, 4th Ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ter-Hoyakimyan, A., Sargsyan, D. A., Topchyan, S. G., Zohrabyan, L. S., and Ghoukasyan, G. (1998, June/July). Peculiarities of anti-AIDS program aimed at teenagers in Armenia. Paper presented at the International Conference on AIDS, Geneva.

  • Turbin, M. S., Jessor, R., and Costa, F. M. (2000). Adolescent cigarette smoking: Health-related behavior or normative transgression quest; Prevention Science, 1, 115-124.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNAIDS. (1998). Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, Statement by the executive director. Retrieved on February 24, 2000 from http://www.unaids.org.

  • UNAIDS. (1999). AIDS not losing momentum, HIV has infected 50 million, killed 16 million, since epidemic began. Retrieved on January 28, 2000 from www.UNAIDS.org/whatsnew/press/eng/london231199.html.

  • UNAIDS/WHO. (1998). Report on the global HIV/AIDS epidemic mdash;The evolving picture region by region. Retrieved on April 22, 2003 from http://www.unaids.org/hivaidsinfo/statistics/june98/global_report/rep_html/report3.html.

  • UNAIDS/WHO. (2000). Epidemiological fact sheet on HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections, Armenia, 2000 update. Retrieved on September 5, 2000 from http://www.unaids.org/hivaidsinfo/statistics/june00/fact_sheets/pdfs/armenia.pdf.

  • UNAIDS/WHO. (2002). Epidemiological fact sheet on HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections, Armenia, 2002 update. Retrieved on July 24, 2002, from http://www. unaids.org/ hivaidsinfo/statistics/fact_sheets/pdfs/Armenia_en.pdf.

  • World Health Organization. (1997). Tobacco or health: A global status report. Retrieved on July 24, 2002 from http://www. who.org/programmes/psa/toh.htm.

Download references

Authors
  1. Talin Babikian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mary-Catherin Freier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Gary L. Hopkins
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ralph DiClemente
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Duane McBride
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Matt Riggs
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Babikian, T., Freier, MC., Hopkins, G.L. et al. An Assessment of HIV/AIDS Risk in Higher Education Students in Yerevan, Armenia. AIDS Behav 8, 47–61 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:AIBE.0000017525.92015.5d

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:AIBE.0000017525.92015.5d

Search

Navigation