The Effectiveness of HIV Media Communication in Fighting HIV among Adolescents and Young Adults at a Training Institute and a Non-Governmental Organization

Abstract

The HIV epidemic remains a serious concern to society with its multiplication observed among adolescents and young adults who are transiting to adulthood.Zambia, a part of Sub-Saharan Africa had 48,000 of (15-49years) HIV Infetctions in 2018 with  39% of that adolescents and young adults (15-24 years). The need to reduce the HIV infection rates, especially among adolescents and young adults is a common feature in HIV programming interventions. Particularly, these have been interventions through use of media communication. HIV media communication has been necessary because communication is a process to disseminate or make common or share what has been heard.The study investigated the effectiveness of HIV media communication in fighting the HIV epidemic  among adolescents and young adults. A descriptive study design was adopted by use of a sample size of 94 respondents from Solwezi Training Institute and two representatives from the Solwezi Youth Alive Zambia, a non-governmental organisation. A semi-structured questionnaire and an interview guide were used as data collection tools.The findings of this study  indicated that 83% of the respondents accessed HIV information through Radio that is inbuilt in a Mobile Cellphone device. Further, 77%  of the respondents had engaged into interpersonal communication to talk to their friends about HIV matters.Conclusively, it has become clear that reducing HIV infection rates is partly predicated on the availability and accessibility of adequate information from all forms of media for both adolescents and young adults. Thus,successes to end HIV transmission among adolescents and young adults will depend on continued interventions of  HIV media communication  to effect Behavioral change and increased knowledge regarding the HIV epidermic

Keywords: HIV media communication, Adolescents and young adults, media communication.

DOI: 10.7176/DCS/13-6-04

Publication date:October 31^st 2023