According to a recent survey of National Institute of Population Research and Training (Niport) on HIV/Aids nearly 60 percent of the participants of the survey proved to be well aware of healthcare factors about HIV/Aids in 2004 which was only 31 percent in 2000.

In the case of male, the awareness level doubled in eight years with 34 percent in 1996 and 78 percent in 2004.

Nearly 37 percent of married women, 45 percent of married men and 57 percent of unmarried men know that use of condom is a way to avoid contracting HIV/Aids, it said.

The recent survey shows a clear improvement over the results of the 1999-2000 BDHS (Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey) where only 16 percent of married women and 18 percent of married men cited condom use as a way to avoid HIV.

The survey said among all male and female respondents, it is encouraging that 30 percent of women and 50 percent of men correctly know two or more ways of avoiding HIV.

The survey observed that education is positively associated with knowledge about HIV/Aids. It ranges from 71 percent among those who have completed primary school while 98 percent of women who have completed secondary education.

As part of the awareness programme, television is the most important source of information about HIV/Aids, 45 percent of women and 68 percent of men are of the opinion that television is a major source of their information about HIV/Aids.

The survey also revealed that 47 percent of the women respondents and 54 percent of male respondents have never discussed HIV/Aids prevention methods with their spouses.