Designing peer education programme for the prevention of HIV infection among the in-school youth at Mampong, Sekyere West District, Ghana

Adolescents have become a focal point of discussions of sexuality and reproductive health matters because they belong to a most active segment of the population and because of practical concerns in resolving problems such as unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS. Secondary school students are becoming sexually active at an increasing earlier age, which puts them at risk of contacting STIs, including HIV infection and this has necessitated the implementation of health education initiatives in schools to increase level of knowledge, influence attitudes and encourage safe sexual practices. The element distinguishing school-based programmes from other interventions for youth is the supportive structural aspect played by schools and teachers, and the interaction between school, parents, students and community (Peersman, 1998, Kalichman, 1998). Peer education programmes have been implemented in several countries with varied results. Against the backdrop of a high prevalence of the human immunodeficiency virus infection in the Sekyere West District, the study aimed at examining the student’s patterns of behaviour relating to the risk of HIV infection and developed a draft peer education programme for the prevention of HIV infection among in-School youth at Mampong. This study used a cross-sectional design in which data were collected from 262 students aged 15-19 years and 22 key informants by the use of open and closed - ended Questionnaires and an interview guide. The study revealed that majority of the students in the sampled population has heard about HIV/AIDS. 92.4% of the students have been taught about HI V/AIDS in school but findings indicate that there were no school based HI V/AIDS education programmes in the secondary schools. There were no specific HIV/AIDS policies for learners and no interventional guidelines in the District so designers and implementers of HIV/AIDS preventive programmes rely on the National HIV/AIDS draft policy and National Strategic Framework action. 83.2% of the students said religion impacts on HIV/AIDS education but 60% of the key personalities said it has no major impact. Findings also indicate that taboos and initiation rites have barely little impact on HI V/AIDS education. The level of HIV/AIDS education among the students was very high. Risk behaviour of the students was high. 38.3°/o of the students had boy of girl friend and 21.3% had had sex before out of which 37.5% did not use a condom. Designing or having a peer education programme running in the secondary schools was welcoming news to the students and the general public. The researcher concludes that school based HIV/AIDS peer education programmes has been proven to be an effective way of preventing HIV infection among the in-school youth, introducing that in secondary schools at Mampong is not just important and necessary in the fight against HIV infection among the in-school youth. A draft HIV/AIDS peer education programme which was not tested at the field has therefore been designed to that effect.

Source: KNUST