Sexual and reproductive health problems are the main causes of death, disability and disease among young people in the world, particularly in Africa. The objective of this study was to assess human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) risk perception and behavior, and factors associated with risk perception, among college students of the Metekel Zone, Ethiopia. An institutional-based cross-sectional study design was used. The data were collected using a pretested and self-administered questionnaire, were entered into EPI INFO version 6 and exported into Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16 for analysis. Variables with p < 0.02 in the bivariate logistic regression were entered to multivariate logistic regression and variables with p < 0.05 were considered as statistically significant. Three hundred and eighty-eight students were participated. Total 43% of respondents (50.70% males and 34.10% females) had had sex. About 48.81% of the sexually active respondents reported that they had had sexual intercourse with two or more partners. About 16.49% of study participants perceived themselves at risk of getting HIV/AIDS and the most frequently, cited reasons for perceiving oneself at risk were having sex without a condom, having multiple sexual partners and having sex with commercial sex workers (CSW). Chewing khat (adjusted OR = 3.54, 95% CI: 1.45-8.63); being willing to undergo voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) (adjusted OR = 4. 30, 95% CI: 1.09-16.88); having seen a person infected/dead of HIV (adjusted OR = 4.23, 95% CI: 1.36-13.13) and having multiple sexual partners (adjusted OR = 6.10, 95% CI: 2.40-15.44) were significantly associated with HIV risk perception. The risk perception of HIV/AIDS among the college students was low despite their involvement in different risky sexual behaviors. The government should use mass media techniques, such as television, radio, mobile services and posters to spread information on HIV transmission prevention ARTICLE HISTORY among college students, especially information on the importance of condom use, minimizing the number of sexual partners and VCT. College administrations need to disseminate information through special lectures, and group discussions about khat chewing, HIV/AIDS and VCT.

Introduction: Assessing the microbiological and physico-chemical quality of drinking water sources is important to protect public health. Little is known about the microbiological and physico-chemical quality of drinking water in North Gondar Zone. Therefore, this study was aimed to assess the microbiological and physico-chemical quality of drinking water sources in North Gondar Zone, Northwest Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from April to May 2014 in seven districts (Chilga, Debark, Dabat, Dembia, Gondar Town, Gondar Zuria and Wogera) in North Gondar. The physico-chemical and microbiological quality of 71 drinking water samples were determined following the standard procedure. Turbidity, pH, and temperature were measured using a turbidity meter, pH meter, and thermometer, respectively. Arsenic, chlorine, Cr 6 +, NO 2 , NO 3 and residual chlorine were determined by the colorimetric methods and rapid kits using disruptive pattern material apparatus (Kyoritsu chemical-check Lab., Corp. Japan). Coliforms and Vibrio parahemolyticus were tested by rapid microbiological test strips (Sankori coliform and Sankori V. parahaemolyticus) following appropriate standard procedure. Consumer's assessment was also conducted using a questionnaire about the water sources. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 20 software. Results: The physicochemical and microbiological quality of 71 water samples (tap n = 29, spring n = 15 and well n = 27) were assessed. The mean turbidity of water samples was 19.35 ± 5.75 standard deviation nephelometric turbidity unit, temperature 21.34 ± 3.68°C, pH 6.88 ± 0.6, nitrate 10.02 ± 8.72 mg/l, nitrite 0.33 ± 0.64 mg/l, residual chlorine 0.01 ± 0.06 mg/l, arsenic 0.2 ± 0.00 mg/l, and chromium 0.51 ± 0.01 mg/l. Almost all samples were complying with the World Health Organization acceptable range for nitrate arsenic and chromium among the physico-chemical parameters. However, turbidity was found to be unacceptably high in 21 (29.6%) samples, pH was unacceptably low in 26 (36.6%) of the samples and residual chlorine was unacceptably low in 69 (97.2%) of the samples. The majority of samples (n = 46; 64.8%) had coliforms, and 12 (16.9%) had V. parahemolyticus. Conclusion: Most of the physical and chemical parameters measured were within the recommended range except turbidity and residual chlorine. However, the majorities of drinking water samples were found to be contaminated and were potential risk to public health. Therefore, regular quality monitoring and frequent water treatment in the study area is mandatory.

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