LEVEL OF AWARENESS OF ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME {AIDS} AMONGST SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
ABSTRACT
The study was to determine the level of awareness of AIDS amongst adolescents in selected secondary schools in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State. Data for the study was collected using structure questionnaire. From the data collected, the following findings were revealed. That although many adolescents have heard of AIDS. The adolescent from the Oredo local government lack some information on the mode of transmission of the disease. Lastly, there is poor role of the secondary school in AIDS education of students. Based on these findings the researcher advance some suggestion to improve AIDS awareness among adolescents in secondary school.
CHAPTER ONE
BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Silently, stead but relentlessly a major epidemic quite different from what the world has ever experienced has invaded the globe as a whole during the past decade. It is an epidemic that knows no bound social, economic nature or religion. An epidemic that brings blame, rejection and division into families and communities. The epidemic is caused by a virus called the human immunodeficiency virus or HIV. A person infected with HIV may not feel its effects for several years. But gradually, the virus attacks the body’s immune system making it more vulnerable to infections. The advanced stage of HIV disease, generally know as acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Finally lead to death.
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome {AIDS} was quite unknown to man not until 1981. Today it tends to dominate the media profile especially as a subject for public health programme. Aids as devastating world wide plague is not only a health programme but also a social, economic, political and development issue.The Human Immunodeficiency Virus {HIV} that causes Aids is spread through sexual contact with an infected person by needle sharing among injecting drugs users or through transfusion of infected blood or blood clothing factors. According to Laino internet {2006}, clearly states that pregnant women infected with HIV can also transmit the virus to their new born infant before or during birth or though breast feeding after birth.
Indeed the HIV spread is a problem, which get worse day by day. According to world health organization {WHO} 1990 estimate, Aids if unchecked with contribute about 3.3 percent to the global burden of disease and 1.8 billion people will die of Aids each year.The World Health Organization {WHO} conducted survey in 1994 13th December in twenty one local government area of Nigeria revealed that more than five percent {5%} of expectant mother in Nigeria have Aids virus while 961 people have fully grown Aids disease. The WHO report further suggested that 100,000 people have the strain of HIV virus in them.
These trends may have been further confirmed when {Ahmed 2002} at a workshop Eagged AIDS education project organized by rotary international for journalists and information officer said the rate at which the dreaded disease was spreading in Kano state was alarming. Ahmen {2002} noted with concern that from 1996 to 2002, Aids cases in the state increased from 740 to 4, 047 and that most of the victims were between 17 years and 20 years of ages. Other states may have similar trend. This development is indeed of concern, considering the link between the spread of AIDS and prostitution with increasing incidence among Nigeria adolescents in secondary schools and institutions of higher learning. (Ahmen 2002 notation).
In view of the above background, it has become imperative to investigate into the level of awareness of adolescents on maters concerning AIDS. These have a lot to do with their personal health and well being. An informed person irrespective of age can make some difference in managing and problem it is therefore the aim of this research to assess and ascertain, the knowledge of AIDS amongst Nigeria adolescents with focus on the secondary school students of Oredo local government area, of Edo state.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The disease {AIDS} unlike most other sickness is posing an challenge not only to the world in general but to the developing countries in particular. This study is an investigation into the knowledge and awareness of Aids among adolescents in secondary school of Oredo local government area in Edo state. Most adolescents in Nigeria have hard of AIDS especially from friends media’s and through cheap literature.
Adolescent and even adults have a misconception about the Aids disease. They consider it a raity or white man’s disease and no more threat. Adolescents needs a basic knowledge the clinical features of aids the mode of transmission and the associated risk of infection in order to maintain the personal person health and other member of the society.
PURPOSE OF STUDY
This study is set to examine the level of awareness of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome {AIDS} amongst adolescent in secondary school students in Oredo local government area in Edo state. For the purpose of the study, the following basic assumption will be tested.
It is generally assumed that most adolescents do not have in depth knowledge than their counterpart in secondary school. Finally that most adolescent are quite ignorant of mode of the transmission of AIDS disease.
RESEARCHABLE QUESTIONS
Based on the above assumption the following researchable question will be tested.
1. What is the level of awareness of secondary school adolescent in Oredo local government on the mode of transmission of Aids?
2. What is the perception of secondary school adolescents in Oredo local government on the level of seriousness of Aids.
3. What is the source of information on Aids among adolescent in secondary school.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study was carried out to determine the level of awareness of Aids among adolescent in Oredo local government area of Edo state. It is the opinion of the researcher that when the study is completed, it would advance the knowledge in the field of education and also serves as a reference source to further studies.
The result of this study will highlight the knowledge of Nigeria adolescent on Aids especially in secondary schools of Oredo.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Aids is caused by a small germ called “HIV”
Human: the virus only lives in humans and not in animals, insects, water or air.
Immuno deficiency: The virus cause the immune or defense system of the body to be less effective in protecting from disease.
Virus: A virus is very small germ therefore HIV virus is do tiny that a full stop at the end of a sentence can contain 230,000 of them. Once HIV gets into the blood system you cannot remove it.
Sexuality: This is the felling and activities connected with personals sexual desires.
Homosexuality: This refers to as sexual interest in and sexual activity with a member of the same sex.
Promiscuity: Having many sexual partners.
Rationale: The principles or reasons on which something is based.
Sex education: This is something perceived as the provision of sex knowledge or information.
Ambivalent: Having or showing mixed good and bad feeling about a particular object, person or situation.