Abstract:

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) which causes the disease, Acquired Immunodeficiency Diseases Syndrome, is a public health challenge that is yet to have a cure and still contributes to the global disease burden.

This descriptive study was carried out to examine the effect of positive behavioural factors on the prevalence of HIV/AIDs amongst adolescent and youths attending the antiretroviral clinics of four general hospitals in Niger State, Nigeria. These were the general hospitals in Bida, Minna, Suleja and Kontagora. A total of 268 participants took part in the study in which a multistage (2-stage) random sampling technique was used (Bamise, Bamise and Adedigba, 2011). First stage involved the random selection of the four general hospitals used for the study whilst the second stage involved the random selection of participants at the various general hospitals selected for the study.

In order to participate in the study, the participants must be within the age bracket of adolescent and youths and must be retroviral positive. The instrument for data collection was a pretested semi-structured questionnaire. Data analysis was carried out using both descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results: A total of 268 respondents were interviewed. More male participated in the study and majority of the participants were concentrated within the age bracket (21 – 25) years. The awareness of the participants about HIV/AIDs is high with 98.2 percent participants believed that condom use prevented HIV/AIDs. About 66 percent of respondents had only one sexual partner, 56.3 percent used condom and other preventive method as a form of positive life style change in behaviour whilst 51.1 percent of respondents practiced abstinence from sexual intercourse.

Conclusion: The study showed there was high level of awareness about HIV/AIDs and positive life style behaviour was found to have effect on prevalence of HIV/AIDs among the target group for the study.

From the finding, more awareness programs about HIV/AIDs should be carried out among adolescent and youths. Government and Nongovernmental organization should partner with the community, faith based organization, schools to implement these findings.

Keywords: Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Adolescent, Youths, lifestyle changes.

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