HIV/AIDS information source use and sexual behaviour of adolescents in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria

Abstract

This paper established those information sources that mostly provided the information about HIV/AIDS 
to 540 adolescents in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria. The study showed 
further, how the adolescents' personal and parental characteristics explained the use of the sources as 
well as the relationship between source use and adolescents' sexual behaviour. The result showed that 
handbills, television and friends were the most frequently used sources. Use of handbills is related to 
decreasing total number of sexual partners, and reduction in the chances that the respondent has ever 
had sex, while the use of television relates to the increased chances of ever having sex, although it 
increased the current number of sexual partners and the decreasing use of condom during last sex. 
Friends relates positively to condom use during last sex and if one has ever had sex, age at first sex, 
last time one had sex, and current number of sexual partners. Increased investment in the use of 
handbills and use of friends could not only significantly reduce government's budget for HIV/AIDS 
awareness among youth but could also lead to increased effectiveness in achieving the impartation of 
the right information.