[Awareness, attitudes, and practices of secondary school students in relation to HIV/AIDS in Abidjan, Ivory Coast]. / Connaissances, attitudes et pratiques des collégiens et lycéens d'Abidjan face au VIH/sida.

In May 2001, we conducted a descriptive transversal survey with a single data collection phase in 13 schools in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the awareness, attitudes, and practices of teenagers with regard to HIV/AIDS. Most respondents (66.5%) were female. Mean age was 16.32 years (range, 13 to 19 years). Most respondents stated that they had heard about AIDS and demonstrated good factual knowledge. The most frequently mentioned method of prevention was condom use (89.2%). A total of 338 (56.1%) had already experienced sexual intercourse. However most sexually active respondents stated that they did no always use condoms.

[Update on a neglected tropical disease from the routine health information system in Côte d'Ivoire: Yaws, 2001 to 2011]. / Le point sur une maladie tropicale négligée à travers le Système d'information sanitaire de routine en Côte d'Ivoire : le pian de 2001 à 2011.

GOAL: The aim of this work is to describe the epidemiological characteristics of yaws in Côte d'Ivoire from 2001 to 2011, by data from the routine health information system. METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted from available health statistics from 2001 to 2011. RESULTS: From 2001 to 2006, the completeness of the regional health statistics was below 50%, while afterwards it exceeded 70% in all regions. The incidence rate of yaws in hospitals has declined from 44 to 14.8 per 100 000 population from 2002 to 2011. Two regional offices still reported highly endemic areas rates, four times higher than the national incidence. CONCLUSION: It appears that the action of donors has helped to improve the performance of the routine health information system in Côte d'Ivoire. Additionally, yaws remains endemic. The reduced incidence in hospitals is probably due to the reduction in their use by the population; the real population incidence is undoubtedly higher. A seroprevalence survey would make it possible to focus more accurately the upcoming mass treatment campaigns, under the aegis of WHO, to eradicate yaws.