Introduction: This cross‑sectional study examined HIV/AIDS knowledge as a determinant of preventative and self‑protective sexual behaviour. The HIV Knowledge Questionnaire-18 (HIV-KQ-18) is one of the most widely used HIV knowledge scales. The objective of this study was to test the psychometric properties of the HIV-KQ-18 in Black people in Ontario. Methods: We analyzed the data from 1302 participants who completed the HIV-KQ-18 in a study conducted among Black people in Ontario. We estimated the internal consistency of this scale using Cronbach’s alpha. We analyzed the construct validity of the scale, testing hypotheses about HIV knowledge and age, education, employment status, gender, language and city using one-way ANOVA and independent sample t -tests. Results: Cronbach’s alpha for the scale was 0.82 (95% CI: 0.80– 0.84) suggesting good internal consistency. We observed significant differences in HIV knowledge scores across age, employment status, education, and gender. Higher HIV knowledge scores were also observed among participants residing in Toronto compared to Ottawa and among those who completed the questionnaire in English compared to French. Conclusion: The HIV-KQ-18 is a valid instrument to assess the level of HIV/AIDS knowledge among Black Ontarians, with robust internal consistency and construct validity. The HIV-KQ-18 identified important differences in HIV knowledge based on the characteristics examined, indicating the need for targeted initiatives to increase HIV-related knowledge. Plain Language Summary: HIV knowledge plays an important role in helping people protect their health and prevent HIV transmission. In Ontario, Black communities carry a higher burden of HIV, yet many tools used to measure HIV knowledge have not been tested to make sure they work well in this population. This study was done to find out whether a commonly used questionnaire, the HIV Knowledge Questionnaire-18 (HIV-KQ-18), is a reliable and meaningful way to measure HIV knowledge among Black people in Ontario. We analysed survey data from 1302 Black participants living in Toronto and Ottawa who completed the HIV-KQ-18 as part of a larger community study. The questionnaire asks 18 true-or-false questions about HIV transmission and prevention. We examined how consistently the questionnaire measured HIV knowledge and whether it could detect differences in knowledge between groups based on age, education, employment, language, gender, and city of residence. The results showed that the HIV‑KQ‑18 consistently measured HIV knowledge and was able to identify differences in knowledge between groups in this population. Higher knowledge scores were linked with higher education, full-time employment, and middle adulthood. Participants living in Toronto and those who completed the survey in English also scored higher. These findings mean that the HIV-KQ-18 can be confidently used to assess HIV knowledge among Black Canadians. The results also highlight the need for targeted, culturally appropriate education efforts to address knowledge gaps in specific groups. Keywords: black Canadians, HIV knowledge, psychometric properties
Nyambi et al. (Fri,) studied this question.