THE EFFECTS OF HEALTH EDUCATION ON SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR AND UPTAKE OF VOLUNTARY COUNSELLING AND TESTING AMONG OUT OF SCHOOL YOUTHS IN A NIGERIAN BORDER MARKET

THE EFFECTS OF HEALTH EDUCATION ON SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR AND UPTAKE OF VOLUNTARY COUNSELLING AND TESTING AMONG OUT OF SCHOOL YOUTHS IN A NIGERIAN BORDER MARKET

Abstract

Voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) is the process by which an individual undergoes counseling to enable him/her make an informed decision or choice about being tested for HIV. Young people are exposed to HIV transmission and acquisition as a result of high risk sexual practices such as early age of sexual debut, multiple sexual partners and unprotected sex. The two border towns used in this study namely Seme and Idi Iroko in south western Nigeria are thriving commercial centres because of their close proximity to Republic of Benin. They have an admixture of mobile population groups which include truck drivers, smugglers, traders, commercial cyclists, immigrants, commercial sex workers as well as the local population made up of farmers, fishermen and traders who engage in small scale trading. This intervention study was carried out to assess the effectiveness of a community health education program and provision of VCT on sexual behavior and uptake of VCT among out of school youths (15 – 24yrs) in a Nigerian border town market using Seme border as the study group and Idi iroko border as the control group.
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One in two systematic sampling techniques was used for selecting 120 respondents in each of the border town markets. Quantitative data collection method using a standardized validated questionnaire was carried out after institutional clearance and informed verbal consent from the study participants’ pre intervention. The intervention was health education and provision of free VCT services within the market for youths 15 – 24 years of age; this was done for three months after which post intervention data was collected.
There was no statistically significant difference between the study group and the control group in terms of demographic, family and social characteristics as well as baseline values. Majority of the respondents in the study group were females (61.7%), mean age was 19.425 + 3, 73.3% were single and 50.8% had at least secondary school education while in the control population; 58.3% were females, mean age was 20.025 + 3, 80.8% were single and 59.2% had at least secondary school education. In the study population 42.5% of the respondents had sexuality education compared to 45.8% in the control population while 31.7% and 39.2% had heard of safer sex in the study and control population respectively. In both population groups less than one quarter of the respondents (22.5% in the study population and 15.8% in the control group) knew that VCT is a method of knowing HIV status. The mean age at sexual initiation was 16 years for the study group and 18 years for the control group. Among respondents that had initiated sex, 35% in the study group and 30% in the control group did so due to
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pressure from friends and partners. In the study group 63% of the respondents were currently having sex at the commencement of the study compared to 51% in the control population which reduced to 54% in the study group but increased to 53% in the control group post intervention. Among the respondents having sex 56% in the study population and 44% in the control population were doing so for fun, 61.3% and 67.2% respectively out of this group of people were using condoms. Among the respondents using condoms 74% in the study population and 59% in the control population were occasional users. There was no statistically significant difference in the number of respondents using condoms and in the consistency of condom use by the respondents post intervention in both groups. The number of respondents who had done VCT increased post intervention from 18.3% to 59% and from 12% to 14% in the study and control population respectively with 4.26% of the respondents tested among the study population testing positive to HIV 1.
There was a statistically significant relationship between alcohol consumption having sexual intercourse as well as having multiple sexual partners while regular attendance at religious activities was significantly associated with delay of sexual debut in the study population pre intervention. There was no statistically significant relationship between the sex of the respondents and use of condom, having sexual intercourse or going for VCT post intervention.
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VCT should be widely publicized consistently via the mass media, schools, religious organizations, NGOs, health care workers and community leaders. It is important to improve accessibility and affordability of VCT services as well as provide youth friendly health and VCT services.

Title Page———i

Certification——–ii

Dedication———iii

Acknowledgement——-iv

Abstract ———vi

Table of Content——–vii

 

Chapter One

1.0 Introduction ——-1

1.1 Statement of Problem——4

1.2 Purpose of the Study——5

1.3 Significance of Study——8

1.4 Limitation——–9

1.5 Scope of Study——-11

 

Chapter Two

2.0 Review of Related Literature —-12

2.6 Summary of Literature Review—- 19

 

Chapter Three

3.0 Research Methodology and Procedure—22

3.1 Population ——–22

3.2 Sample and Sampling Technique—-22

3.3 Validation of the Instrument —-23

3.4 Reliability of the Instrument —–23

3.5 Data Analysis——-23

 

Chapter Four

4.0 Presentation and Discussion of Result—24

4.1 Analysis and interpretaion of Data—25

4.2 Discussion of Results——38

 

Chapter Five

5.0. Summary, Conclusion, and Recommendation  –40

5.1 Summary——–40

5.2 Conclusion——–41

5.3 Recommendation——42

References ———45

Appendix 1——–47

Appendix ———50

THE EFFECTS OF HEALTH EDUCATION ON SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR AND UPTAKE OF VOLUNTARY COUNSELLING AND TESTING AMONG OUT OF SCHOOL YOUTHS IN A NIGERIAN BORDER MARKET

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