Perception of the risk of sexual transmission of HIV among Congolese and Japanese university students

Sub-Saharan Africa remains the region most heavily affected by HIV infection. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Congolese students of risk behaviors for sexual transmission of HIV in comparison with their Japanese counterparts. Of the 1,747 undergraduate students who participated in the survey, there were 1,326 respondents (752 Japanese, 574 Congolese) who voluntarily and fully filled out the auto-administered questionnaire. The proportion of Congolese respondents who do not always use condoms with an occasional sex partner was significantly higher, 57%, as compared with their Japanese counterparts (15%; p