Abstract:
Background; Ethiopia is among the highly affected countries in the region with the national adult prevalence rate of 6.6% with urban HIV prevalence estimate reaching as high as 13.7% and that of rural as low as 3.7% (3).Specially, affected to a considerable extent the young segment of the population (15-24 age range groups). Almost all studies on sexuality and HIV/AIDS have been conducted among high school and college youths. The less accessible group of young people (out of school and street children) has been neglected, but little is known about the perception of street youths and predictors of their protective behavior using behavioral model. Objective; The aim of the study was to assess the predictors of protective behaviors of street youths on HIV/AIDS among using Health Belief Model in Mekelle town, Ethiopia, 2011. Methods; a cross sectional survey was conducted from April 20-30, 2011 in Mekelle town on street youths who are living and spend the night on the street of Mekelle town. And both quantitative and qualitative methods were triangulated. 213 registered street youths who on the age range of 15-24 who were living and spend the night at the streets of the town. Purposive sampling technique was used for the qualitative study. Data was checked for completeness, pre-coded and entered then was cleaned by SPSS version 16.0. Univariate analysis was computed, and binary analysis was made among socio-demographic variables, protective behaviors and perception associated to HIV/AIDS by HBM to analyze and avoid confounders in the findings. Binary logistic regression analysis of factors related to risk behaviors was calculated. Tests of association were made between both independent and dependent variables using odds ratio when statically significance was considered at p-value of 0.05. Result; A total of 213 street youth respondents responded to this stud. In the age range of 15-24, study participants were 33.3%, and 66.6% between the age range of 15-19 year and 20-24 year respectively at mean age of 20.3year. Conclusion; street youths have been higher perceived barrier, and history of high risk sexual behavior and underestimation of street youth’s risk of HIV infection by stakeholders. Recommendation; Those responsible bodies need to have work hard to reduce perceived barriers of AC/VCT to be able street youths prevent them self against HIV/AIDS and sustains protective behavior. The responsible body has to give attention for recreational facilities as priority in youth policy and HIV/AIDS prevention intervention program.
