STIs AND HIV AND AIDS SERVICES NEEDS OF ADOLESCENTS IN ENUGU STATE OF NIGERIA

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), and HIV and AIDS services needs of adolescents in Enugu State. Three specific objectives with the three corresponding research questions were formulated and two hypotheses were postulated to guide the study. The survey research design was adopted for the study. The population for the study was all adolescent girls in Enugu State. Multi-stage sampling procedure was employed to select 400 adolescents using Yaro Yamen formula for sample size. The instruments for data collection were researcher’s designed questionnaire and focus group discussion guide. The validity of the instruments and reliability of the questionnaire were established, and a reliability coefficient of 0.7 was deemed reliable. Means and standard deviations were used for data analysis. The t-Test and analysis of variance were used to test the hypotheses at .05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that all STIs and HIV and AIDS services are important needs of adolescents. There was no significant difference in the mean responses of the adolescents based on gender while there was significant difference in the means responses with level of education. Scheffe’s test analysis indicated that the difference was between tertiary and secondary education. It was concluded that adolescents in Enugu State need STIs and HIV and AIDS services regardless of their gender and that educational level of attainment influenced adolescents’ responses on their STIs and HIV and AIDS needs. Based on the findings, it was recommended that adequate sexuality information and education should be provided in schools and communities through youth organizations to enlighten every adolescents irrespective of educational qualification, how to protect, prevent and manage STIs and HIV and AIDS.