Some researchers have called on the Federal Government to promote measures in the public health sector to reduce risky sexual behaviour among adolescents in the country.
Dr Ayodele Alonge, who spoke for the group of researchers, made the call while presenting the findings of a research funded by the Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA) at a dissemination meeting in Ibadan on Wednesday.
The theme of the study conducted by seven researchers is ” The impact of Nollywood Movies on Awareness Creation about HIV and Risky Sexual Behaviours among in-school Youths in Nigeria.”
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Alonge, a CARTA graduate and lecturer at the University of Ibadan, raised the alarm that two-thirds of the estimated three million HIV infected persons in Nigeria were adolescents.
He said public health intervention should be planned and implemented purposely to improve the poor sexual behaviour of in-school adolescents.
Alonge said the research was conducted in Lagos, Oyo and Osun states among secondary school students between 12 and 16 years who were investigated through analysis of Nollywood movies’ sex related contents.
According to him, the research is about how sexual messages and scenes are communicated to viewers, impact of such messages on viewers’ sexual behaviour and how this affects the sexual behaviour of in-school youths in South Western Nigeria.
“Students’ sexual behaviour was poor as most of the students cannot insist on condom use when having sex and were enthusiastic to engage in sexual activities with someone not prepared to use condom,” he said.
While noting that students currently possess the right perception of safe sexual behaviour and HIV, the researcher stated that this should be complemented through proper production of good public health intervention and proper monitoring by parents and guardians.
He said the study recommended that more public health interventions that teach behaviour that could lead to curbing risky sexual behaviour should be promoted.
Alonge added that such public health interventions would increase students’ awareness to abstain from behaviours that could lead to risky sexual behaviour.
“Public health intervention that will further teach students to possess more knowledge of sexual behaviour and HIV and AIDS should be produced more for the in-school.
“It was the third aim of this study to find out what the perception of in-school adolescents is as regards safe sexual behaviour and HIV,” he said.
NAN reports that other researchers who participated in the study included Toluwalase Asubiaro, Dr Abebayo Adegboore, Sola Owolabi, Dr Mutiat Salau and Dr Adefolarin Adeyinka. (NAN)
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