Knowledge, attitude and perception of students regarding Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis at the University of Venda, South Africa

Abstract

Young adults at higher education institutions continue to be at risk of contracting Human Immunodeficiency Virus despite notable advancements in prevention. The acceptance of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, an effective biological strategy for Human Immunodeficiency Virus prevention, is largely dependent on potential users' good attitudes, positive views, and sufficient knowledge. The knowledge, attitudes, and views of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis among students at the University of Venda, a rural university in the South African province of Limpopo, were examined in this study. A standardized self-administered questionnaire was used to provide a quantitative cross-sectional survey to 402 on-campus students who were systematically sampled. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests to look for relationships between sociodemographic factors and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis-related outcomes. The majority of participants were South African natives (88.1%), and the sample was primarily made up of females (67.2%), students under the age of 20 (39.3%), and undergraduates (64.7%). Only 35.1% of respondents correctly identified Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis as a Human Immunodeficiency Virus prevention strategy, despite the fact that 91.8% of respondents said they had heard of it. Only 13.2% of respondents correctly identified daily oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, and 73.1% expressed doubt about its efficacy, indicating a lack of awareness of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis use. Concerns about stigma, side effects, cost, and accessibility were identified by attitude research, although opinions about Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis accessibility at university pharmacies and health services were still ambiguous. Several knowledge, attitude, and perception factors showed significant correlations with gender, age, and cultural group (p < 0.001). Overall, the results show that a high level of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis awareness does not correlate with sufficient comprehension or preparedness for its use. In order to improve Human Immunodeficiency Virus prevention efforts among young adults, the study emphasizes the necessity of comprehensive, culturally relevant, and age-responsive Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis education and service delivery initiatives inside university settings. In conclusion, strengthening targeted, culturally responsive Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis education and improving on-campus access are critical to translating high awareness into informed acceptance and effective Human Immunodeficiency Virus prevention among university students.