Abstract

AIDS disease is the most serious health problem and deadliest infectious disease of the current century. The emerging of disease and insufficient knowledge of it easily expose the adolescents at risk. This study aimed to determine the knowledge and attitude of high school students to AIDS in Zabol city. In this cross-sectional study, 350 male and female high school students of Zabol city who were studying in the high school in 2014 were investigated. The questionnaire containing basic questions, knowledge and attitude about AIDS transmission ways to collect information. The majority of students (48.5) had good knowledge and there is a significant relationship between their knowledge in terms of demographic variables and age, gender, field and grade of education and parental education. The rate of attitude towards the AIDS was assessed as follows: Weak in 114 people (32.6), normal in 204 people (58.3) and good in 32 people (3.1). This study showed that despite the suitability of knowledge of students about AIDS and dominance of medium attitude in them, there is a weak attitude in 32.6 of students. Therefore, it is recommended to develop strategies in order to reduce the risk of AIDS among adolescents in secondary schools.