Using Public Enlightenment to Curtail Adolescents’ Vulnerability to HIV and STDs

Sexual risk behaviour among Nigerian adolescents is a major health concern. Efforts have been made to reduce teenage pregnancy and discourage child marriage in Nigeria yet, just 26% girls in northern Nigeria make it beyond primary school due to sexual vulnerability and over 600,000 Nigerians seek abortion each year while the HIV infection rates among young people aged 15-19 was put at 3.3% by UNFPA. This put 31.7% of the nation’s populace at HIV and STIs risk. Random sampling method was adopted in the investigation of 400 college students and rural adolescent girls sexual activities in Nigeria. Questionnaire and structured interviews were used to determine the level of success public enlightenment has achieved in curbing further spread of HIV and STDs. Findings reveal that rural adolescent girls are most vulnerable and there is positive correlation between education, exposure to media and sexual activity. Recommendations are also made based on the findings to strengthen media impacts in bringing about behavioural change on the subject matter with the consciousness of the discovery of this work that the media is one of the factors that put youths at risk of illicit sexual behavior and its despicable aftermaths and levers that can be used in preventive interventions.