Behavioral surveillance of knowledge about HIV/AIDS transmission and perceived need for additional knowledge in a national sample of young israeli men and women between 1993 and 2005

The study examines trends in knowledge about HIV/AIDS prevention, perceived need for more information, and knowledge sources among 20,619 Israeli army releasees between 1993 and 2005. HIV/AIDS knowledge was strongly associated with education, lower religiosity and receiving information via the media in both genders, changing non-linearly over time. Need for more information was associated with low knowledge level among men (OR= 2.14; CI: 1.84-2.49; P < .0001) and women (OR 1.48; CI: 1.21-1.81; P < .0001). The findings underscore the need to reach those groups whose knowledge remains low over time utilizing the media, the preferred knowledge source, recognizing that a segment believes they do not need more information despite having low HIV/AIDS knowledge.