Knowledge, Attitudes, Stigma, And Risky Behaviors About HIV And Related Factors To HIV Prevention Knowledge Among College Students In Beni-Mellal City, Morocco.

Background:The lack of knowledge about HIV prevention increases the risk of contamination among young people. This study aimed to describe the knowledge, stigma and attitudes about HIV among college students and its related factors in Beni-Mellal city, Morocco.Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 400 students attending the polydisciplinary faculty Sultan Moulay Slimane University and the Higher Institute Nursing Professions and Health Techniques in Beni-Mellal Morocco, between march and June 2024. Participants were collected using a non-probabilistic sampling. The knowledge level about HIV, the sociodemographic characteristics, risky HIV infection behaviors, attitudes and stigma toward people living with HIV (PLHIV) were collected through an questionnaire (HIV-KQ-18). Binominal logistic regression was used to determine potential factors influencing HIV prevetion knowledge and risky behaviors. Statistical significance was set at <0.05.Results: the rate of students with good HIV prevention kowledge didn’t exceed 18%. For risky behaviors 30% of students were sexually actif, 46.7 % of them with multiple partners, only 37.5% of them being using codoms,and only 10.3% of them ever been tested for HIV. For stigma and attitudes towards PLHIV, 82.3% to 96.8% of studets think that PLHIV have the same rights, while 11.8% considered getting HIV as sort of puishement. the data analysis revealed the associated factors to HIV prevention kowledge was study level, study field, stigma and admitting PLHIV right to work.Conclusion: sexuality education programs should be strengthened in schools and out of schools to give young people the knowledge needed to prevent new HIV infections.