Information Needs of Rural Secondary School Students on HIV/AIDS in Katsina State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine information needs of rural secondary school students on HIV/AIDS in Katsina State. Multi-stage sampling technique was employed in selecting 180 students. Data were collected with the aid of structured questionnaire and analysis was carried out using frequency counts, percentages, Chi square and Pearson product Moment Correlation. Results revealed that majority (54.4%) were within secondary school age of 16-20 years; non-boarded (67.8%), awarenrss (83.3%) and 43.9% have family size of 11-20. Radio (¯x=2.01), school authority (¯x=1.99), television (¯x= 1.61) and posters (¯x=1.57) were information sources though; school authority (¯x=2.62), radio (¯x=2.44), television (¯x=2.26) and posters (¯x=1.96) were the most preferred sources of awareness. Access to information sources was mostly constrained by lacks of power supply (¯x=1.54), television viewing centre in school (¯x=1.52), and contact with change agents (¯x=1.51) and poor coverage of HIV/AIDS news on newspapers/magazine/newsletters (¯x= 1.48). Majority (63.3% had high level of constraint. Also level of information needs was high to majority (67.2%). Symptoms (¯x=2.68), choice of marriage partners (¯x=2.66), availability of antiretroviral drugs (¯x=2.63) and sources of infection (¯x=2.62) were major areas of information needs. It is concluded that secondary school students’ information needs on HIV/AIDS in Katsina State is high. The distinct peculiarities of school as a culturally heterogeneous community should be studied and noted. In this sense, appropriate use of three major Nigerian languages: Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba languages are sin qua non in HIV/AIDS awareness creation in schools.