OUTCOME OF HEALTH COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY IN DISSEMINATION OF CONTRACEPTIVE USE AMONG TEENS IN AFRICA

Health information dissemination ensures behavior change among risk population against practices that promote ill-health. Facilities and personnel are used for its adoption for behavior change to teenagers’ lifesaving skills. However, research studies in Nigeria relating to information and communication technology (ICT) have been limited to only arts and dramas with limited attention paid to health information. This study therefore determined effects of communication technology in dissemination of contraceptive use among Nigerian teenagers

Total of 202 participants in 4 youth centres in Nigeria were used, 6 hypotheses tested and 4 ICT instruments used for the study at the four centres

The results revealed there was significant behavior change on teenagers’ attitude and behaviour. It showed there was significant behavior on teenagers’ knowledge in contraceptive use and significant result on attitude of teenagers to contraceptive use and education. However, there was no significant gender difference on teenagers’ knowledge and contraceptive use and no significant gender difference on teenagers’ attitude to contraceptive use and education

Government at all levels should support the establishment of ICT youth centres to improve teenagers’ behaviours and practices on contraceptive use to address risky practices