Ezeama Martina
Imo State University, Nigeria
Title: The effectiveness of classroom-based HIV and AIDS education among in-school adolescents in Orlu Senatorial zone, Imo state, Nigeria
Biography
Biography: Ezeama Martina
Abstract
Introduction: Adolescents in secondary schools are engaging in risk behaviors that put them at risk of HIV infection and AIDs. Although HIV and AIDS educational interventions have been widely implemented in secondary schools in Nigeria, the effectiveness of these programme studies in this area are limited in Nigeria. This study investigated the effects of using Classroom Instruction (CI) and Drama (DR) for HIV and AIDS prevention among in-school adolescents in Orlu Senatorial Zone, Nigeria.
Materials and Method: A quasi-experimental design using 165 students from three randomly selected co-educational secondary schools was adopted. The knowledge and attitude of 55 students who received classroom-based HIV and AIDS education intervention (CBI) were compared with those that received drama intervention (DRI) and the control group (CG) without intervention. Baseline and follow up data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire with 29-point knowledge and 9-point attitudinal scales. Knowledge, scores of <15 and ≥15 were classified as poor and good respectively; while attitude scores of <5 and ≥5 were categorized as negative and positive. The results for baseline studies were used to design interventions that were implemented for 8 weeks followed by the conduct of mid-term and follow-up evaluations. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, and ANOVA at p=0.05.
Results: There was no statistically significant difference (P<0.05) in mean ages of respondents in CBI, DRI and CG groups (13.4±1.2, 13.9±1.5, and 13.8±1.2 years respectively). Knowledge scores on HIV/AIDS at baseline were 20.5±2.7, 20.4±2.6 and 21.1±2.7 for CBI, DRI and CG groups respectively. These scores increased to 22.7±2.7, 22.6±1.8 and 21.2±0.3 at mid-term for CBI, DRI, and CG respectively. At follow-up, knowledge scores for CBI and DRI increased to 23.9±1.8 and 24.5±1.4 respectively while the score for the control dropped to 20.0±2.8. Scores for attitude among CBI, DRI and control groups during the baseline study were 5.3±1.4, 4.9±1.5 and 5.3±1.0 respectively. For mid-term, attitude scores were 5.1±1.2, 5.0±0.9 and 4.7±1.5 for CBI, DRI, and CG respectively while scores at follow-up were 5.3±1.2, 5.6±0.7 and 4.5±1.2, indicating greater increase among the intervention groups than of control.
Conclusion: The use of drama intervention yielded the most positive outcomes for knowledge increase and attitudinal change among the students. This strategy is recommended for adolescents’’ HIV and AIDS prevention education in rural secondary schools in Imo State, Nigeria.