Abstract

The HIV/AIDS epidemic remains a global and national concern, and there is a need to focus on HIV prevention,
especially in high-risk groups. A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the factors influencing the
utilization of HIV/AIDS prevention methods among selected secondary school students in Kamwenge District.
The study involved 364 students from 6020 secondary schools, with data collected through questionnaires and
analyzed using SPSS. The results showed that 68% of students utilized HIV/AIDS prevention methods, with
43.3% abstaining, 11.0% faithful, and 45.7% using condoms. 84.5% of participants had heard about HIV prevention
methods, and 67.9% agreed that prevention methods protect against HIV/AIDS. 72.2% of participants used
HIV/AIDS prevention methods, and 67.9% had good knowledge on the practice of these methods. Most students
were males, older, and from rural areas, with a higher percentage of them being sexually active. Awareness and
knowledge about protective methods affect their utilization of HIV/AIDS control methods. Overall, the study
highlights the importance of addressing the global and national challenges of HIV/AIDS and promoting effective
HIV prevention strategies among secondary school students.