Abstract
A study to appraise HIV/AIDS information and its usefulness among senior secondary students in Zaria town, Kaduna State of Nigeria was undertaken. Senior secondary school students in Nigeria are mostly teenagers and are more often than not interested in sexual relationships. The adolescents at this period may want to test sex without much consideration of the end result of engaging in such actions. It may be noticed that HIV/AIDS is one of the greatest challenges to sustainable economic, socio-cultural and political development of any civilization. It is acknowledged fact that the adolescents of today are leaders of tomorrow; therefore, for a meaningful sustainable development to be attained in any society, young people are required to live healthy lives. Therefore, social survey research was adopted for this research work. A sample of 240 students, across 8 selected senior secondary schools in Zaria town was used as the population sample. The questionnaires were coded and analyzed using the SPSS software. The data collected was then subjected to simple descriptive statistical analysis. The study revealed that majority of the respondents had knowledge of HIV/AIDS, but are reluctant to submit themselves to HIV/AIDS test. Most of the respondents are aware of the various mode of transmission of HIV/AIDS as well agreed that use of condom as a mode of prevention. It was also noted that the students' sources of information and their effectiveness were through posters and pamphlets. The study concluded by recommending that the government and other stakeholders should technically strategize on HIV/AIDS campaign initiative in secondary schools. HIV/AIDS policy should be initiated and implemented for sustainable development. As a matter of policy, all secondary schools in the state should have a functional HIV/AIDS club.
Highlights
AIDS is an acronym for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome resulting from infection by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) that invades and cripples the immune system as well as exposing the infected person to live threatening opportunist infections
This study revealed that that majority of the students in senior secondary school in Zaria town, Kaduna State have information and familiar with HIV/AID knowledge through frequent HIV/AIDS information available in their schools confirming the work Ilo et al (11) that HIV/AIDS information is the most effective weapon accessible in the management and prevention of HIV/AIDS in the society
HIV/AIDS information and efficient handling of it is a shared responsibility that is not limited to health sector alone but all stakeholders in the society
Summary
AIDS is an acronym for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome resulting from infection by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) that invades and cripples the immune system as well as exposing the infected person to live threatening opportunist infections. Nigeria as the most populous nation in Africa continent remains one of the most burdened nations with about 3.6 million people living with the epidemic. The virus called HIV can be transmitted from one person infected to another person through sexual intercourse as well as sharing of unsterilized sharp instruments or tools such as blades, knives, syringes among others which had once been used by the infected person or people [3, 4]. The other means of transmitting the epidemic are sharing of unsterilized sharp objects or Universal Journal of Public Health 6(3): 146-152, 2018 instruments such as syringes, clippers, knives, blades among others used by infected person or persons, accepting an unscreened blood transfusion.
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