The relationship between listening to radio programmes on HIV/AIDS and change in sexual behaviour among the youth in Northern Namibia

Abstract

None provided. The following is taken from the author's Introduction:

1. 2. Statement of the Problem: It has become clear that the impact of the media in general, and radio in particular, in the combat against HIV infections is not clear. The presumed power of radio does not seem to be making miracles in causing a sharp reduction in new cases of HIV infections notably, in rural areas let alone among the urban population

As such, the purpose of this study was to determine the impact of radio programmes and advertisements, dealing with HIV/AIDS, on the sexual behaviors among the youth in the Northern regions. The study will also be able to make concrete recommendations about the future nature of production of HIV related programmes and advertisements, which could be more useful in influencing change in sexual behaviors of the youth

The main variables in the study were the frequency of listening to radio programmes and advertisements on HIV / AIDS on the one hand and the change in sexual behaviors on the other. The idea was to determine whether the number of times one listens to radio programmes and advertisements about HIV / AIDS is positively related to changes in sexual behaviors among the youth

1. 3. Research Questions: As such my research questions were as follows: (i) How is listening to programmes and/or advertisements about HIV/AIDS, related to change in sexual behaviors when the listener practises unsafe and/or unfaithful sexual acts. As it will be indicated by this report, we have tried to determine the relationship between the two variables. (ii) What programmes on radios do young people listen to more often? (iii) Which of these can be used to create awareness about HIV infections and the need for the youth to fight the infections? (iv) Which of the programmes on radios with HIV related messages do the youth not listen to often? (v) How useful are those that the youth listen?

1. 4. Rational of the hvpotheses: The study was based on the hypotheses that: (i) The majority of radio programmes which contain information on HIV/Aids have less audience among the youth and therefore cannot be relied upon in combating HIV infections among the youth. (ii) Young people who listen to programmes about HIV / Aids tend to be more careful in their sexual behaviours so as to avoid HIV infections than those who do not. (iii) For the HIV campaign to be successful, radio producers will have to produce programmes containing vital information on HIV / AlliS in a more interesting way in order to attract the young audiences