Sexual Behaviour and Perception of AIDS among Adolescent Girls in Benin City, Nigeria

Abstract

To institute meaningful preventive measures for the control of HIV/AIDS, there is need for more information relating to the perception and knowledge of AIDS and the sexuality of our adolescent population, who form a significant at-risk group. A survey of the knowledge and perception of AIDS and sexual behaviour among 723 randomly selected secondary school adolescent girls, aged 13 to 18 years, was carried out in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. Over 94% of the study population was aware of AIDS, while 64% rightly knew that AIDS can be transmitted through sexual intercourse. Similarly, 9.1% and 3.9% wrongly ascribed AIDS transmission to causal kissing and sharing of utensils with AIDS patients. More than 77% of the girls were sexually active, and of this, 35% had multiple sexual partners and only 26.9% practiced the use of condoms during sexual intercourse. This study re-echoes the urgent need for intensive and effective control programmes for HIV/AIDS.

(Afr J Reprod Health 1999; 3 [1]: 39 - 44)

Key Words: HIV/AIDS, adolescent girls, sexual behaviour, knowledge, perception