590 | SQU Medical Journal, November 2013, Volume 13, Issue 4

Sir,

The recent report on the knowledge of Jordanian youths of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is very interesting.1 

Al-Khasawneh et al. found that “HIV knowledge differed significantly by sources of information, with peer-acquired 
information associated with more accuracy, while HIV information from parents or health centres was associated with a 
lower score.”1 In fact, knowledge of HIV is an important issue to be investigated for the subsequent management, in any 
setting, of the HIV problem. One interesting finding in the present report is the source of the information. There is no 
doubt that youths usually acquire and rely upon information from their peers.1 Luckily, the accuracy of information from 
peer groups in this report is satisfactory.1 

Knowledge provided by educational institutions contributes to the accuracy of the information that peers can pass on 
to each other.1 Based on this information, the development of a peer-group education system might be an effective way to 
disseminate knowledge to focus group in rural areas, where education resources and personnel are usually limited. There 
are some reports of the success of using this technique—such as those from Yemen2 and Thailand3.  Nevertheless, the 
most important step to remember is the development of a group leader within this system to direct the group and ensure 
the accuracy of the information discussed within the group setting. 

Additionally, to gather further data for the proper management of the HIV problem, a knowledge survey such as the 
one by Al-Khasawneh et al. should be followed-up by surveys on the attitudes and practices of the youths. These could 
employ, for instance, the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) survey model.

 *Beuy Joob and Viroj Wiwanitkit
Department of Sanitation, Medical Academic Center, Bangkok, Thailand
*Corresponding Author e-mail: beuyjoob@hotmail.com

References
1. Al-Khasawneh EM, Ismayilova L, Seshan V, Hmoud O, El-Bassel N. Predictors of human immunodeficiency virus knowledge 

among Jordanian youths. Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J 2013; 13:232–40.

2. Al-Iryani B, Basaleem H, Al-Sakkaf K, Kok G, van den Borne B. Process evaluation of school-based peer education for HIV 
prevention among Yemeni adolescents. SAHARA J 2013; 10:55–64.

3. Thato R, Penrose J. A brief, peer-led HIV prevention program for college students in Bangkok, Thailand. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol 
2013; 26:58–65.

Sultan Qaboos University Med J, November 2013, Vol. 13, Iss. 4, pp. 590, Epub. 8th Oct 13
Submitted 24TH Jul 13
Accepted 25TH Aug 13

رد: قياس الوعي بفريوس نقص املناعة املكتسبة بني الشباب األردين

Re: Predictors of Human Immunodeficiency 
Virus Knowledge among Jordanian Youths

letter to editor