An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Biomedical Intervention Strategies Employed towards the Mitigation of HIV Risky Sexual Behaviour among Students in Institutions of Higher Learning in Western Kenya

Abstract

HIV has been a challenging health issue and a leading cause of ill health and demise at a global level. By the year 2017, 76.1 million people had contracted HIV worldwide, with around 38 million persons infected with HIV in the world during the year 2019 alone. The disaster furthermore stands among the top 10 deadliest epidemics throughout history and has had adverse effects on the human population since its discovery. Research studies have identified Institutions of Higher Learning, which host a significant proportion of youth, as fertile breeding grounds for HIV Risky Sexual Behaviour. As a consequence, this study assessed the effectiveness of biomedical intervention strategies employed towards the mitigation of HIV Risky Sexual Behaviour among students in Institutions of Higher Learning in Western Kenya. The study employed qualitative and quantitative approaches to ensure triangulation and crosschecking of the research process. Employed were probability and non-probability sampling techniques generally and specifically, cluster sampling then simple random sampling. Chosen was a sample size of 399 students from a population of 13,002 students at seven institutions. Key informants were sampled purposively as follows; 5 NGO officials, 6 county government officials, 6 officials working in health care centers and 6 dean of students and 1 student counsellor. Selection of four Focus Group Discussions was purposive with each FGD having eight purposively selected student leaders from four institutions. An interview administered semi-structured questionnaire was employed to collect data from students, an FGD guide for the FGDs and Key Informant interview guides for the key informants. Descriptive statistics, an index-score, qualitative analysis and chi-square and were done for analysis. The HIV Risky Sexual Behaviour index-score revealed that a majority 269 (67.4%) of the respondents are involved in HIGH HIV Risky Sexual Behaviours. From chi-square tests, regarding behavioural strategies, information provision and counselling and other forms of psycho-social support are found to be statistically significant with p-value = 0.007 and p-value = 0.080 respectively. The study concludes that HIV incidence and prevalence rates in these institutions are likely to double in the near future if stakeholders continue to apply mitigation strategies in the exact manner they are currently doing. The study recommends an enhancement of the provision of male and female condoms, HIV testing and counselling services, testing and treatment of STIs, provision of Needle and Syringe Programmes, provision of Opioid Substitution Therapy and promotion of VMMC.

Keywords: Effectiveness, Biomedical intervention strategies, mitigation, HIV, Risky Sexual Behaviour among students in Institutions of Higher Learning

DOI: 10.7176/ALST/94-04

Publication date:August 31^st 2022