Can AIDS Education change Sexual Behaviour?

Objective: To determine if AIDS education can change the sexual behaviour of high school students. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: Kwaggafontein. A rural township in KwaNdebele. Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. Participants: 352 students from the three high schools in the township...

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Main Authors: Gboyego A. Ogunbanjo, R.J. Henbest
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AOSIS 1998-03-01
Series:South African Family Practice
Subjects:
Online Access:https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/2210
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author Gboyego A. Ogunbanjo
R.J. Henbest
author_facet Gboyego A. Ogunbanjo
R.J. Henbest
author_sort Gboyego A. Ogunbanjo
collection DOAJ
description Objective: To determine if AIDS education can change the sexual behaviour of high school students. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: Kwaggafontein. A rural township in KwaNdebele. Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. Participants: 352 students from the three high schools in the township were allocated to study and control groups. The study group received an AIDS education package developed by the Medical Research Council of South Africa, while the control group received education on general hygiene. Main outcome measures: Awareness of AIDS, knowledge about AIDS and self-reported sexual behaviour before and after the study. Results: The study group showed a dramatic increase in awareness of AIDS as a problem in their community (44% to 74% P=0.00) and knowledge about AIDS as a preventable (48% to 88% P=0.00) and an incurable disease (41% to 87% P=0.00). The control group did not, that is, (49% to 43% P=0.49), (48% to 58% P= I.32) and (44% to 45% P=0.93) respectively. Most importantly, the study group showed a significant decrease in reported high-risk sexual behaviour following the AIDS education programme. Not only was there a significant increase in the reported use of condoms to prevent AIDS when sexual intercourse was anticipated (26% to 87% P=0.00), but there was a decrease in reported sexual intercourse with more than one partner (15% to 5% P=0.01) and a decrease in casual sex from 20% to l0% (P=0.03). The control group did not report significant changes in their sexual behaviour. Conclusion: An AIDS education programme such as the one tested in this study can significantly increase awareness and knowledge of AIDS and decrease high-risk sexual behaviour. The use of this package on a national scale is highly recommended.
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spelling doaj-art-ffddd99b1ca14484a41c3a7e2f7841d22025-08-20T03:44:00ZengAOSISSouth African Family Practice2078-61902078-62041998-03-0119310.4102/safp.v19i3.22101749Can AIDS Education change Sexual Behaviour?Gboyego A. Ogunbanjo0R.J. Henbest1MEDUNSAMEDUNSAObjective: To determine if AIDS education can change the sexual behaviour of high school students. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: Kwaggafontein. A rural township in KwaNdebele. Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. Participants: 352 students from the three high schools in the township were allocated to study and control groups. The study group received an AIDS education package developed by the Medical Research Council of South Africa, while the control group received education on general hygiene. Main outcome measures: Awareness of AIDS, knowledge about AIDS and self-reported sexual behaviour before and after the study. Results: The study group showed a dramatic increase in awareness of AIDS as a problem in their community (44% to 74% P=0.00) and knowledge about AIDS as a preventable (48% to 88% P=0.00) and an incurable disease (41% to 87% P=0.00). The control group did not, that is, (49% to 43% P=0.49), (48% to 58% P= I.32) and (44% to 45% P=0.93) respectively. Most importantly, the study group showed a significant decrease in reported high-risk sexual behaviour following the AIDS education programme. Not only was there a significant increase in the reported use of condoms to prevent AIDS when sexual intercourse was anticipated (26% to 87% P=0.00), but there was a decrease in reported sexual intercourse with more than one partner (15% to 5% P=0.01) and a decrease in casual sex from 20% to l0% (P=0.03). The control group did not report significant changes in their sexual behaviour. Conclusion: An AIDS education programme such as the one tested in this study can significantly increase awareness and knowledge of AIDS and decrease high-risk sexual behaviour. The use of this package on a national scale is highly recommended.https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/2210aidssexual behaviouraids education
spellingShingle Gboyego A. Ogunbanjo
R.J. Henbest
Can AIDS Education change Sexual Behaviour?
South African Family Practice
aids
sexual behaviour
aids education
title Can AIDS Education change Sexual Behaviour?
title_full Can AIDS Education change Sexual Behaviour?
title_fullStr Can AIDS Education change Sexual Behaviour?
title_full_unstemmed Can AIDS Education change Sexual Behaviour?
title_short Can AIDS Education change Sexual Behaviour?
title_sort can aids education change sexual behaviour
topic aids
sexual behaviour
aids education
url https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/2210
work_keys_str_mv AT gboyegoaogunbanjo canaidseducationchangesexualbehaviour
AT rjhenbest canaidseducationchangesexualbehaviour