Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on Youth Sexuality in Delta State, Nigeria: Media View

Abstract

The mass media have been one of the preeminent tools for the dissemination of information worldwide. The COVID -19  Lockdown has led to an upsurge in youth sexuality which became a source of concern to all stakeholders and the media  outlets is tasked to detail all outcomes. This study was design to examine the impact of COVID -19 lockdown vis-à-vis  youth sexuality. A sample size of 400 was determined from each of the ten Local Government Areas across the three  senatorial districts in Delta State. The Sample design adopted for this study was random sampling. A total of four  thousand (4000) questionnaire copies were administered to youths and 99 % copies were retrieved from respondents.  Twenty field assistants were engaged for three weeks for the exercise and face to face survey approach was adopted.  The findings show that there was lack of sexual and reproductive healthcare during COVID -19 lockdown. These have  caused a spike in youth’s sexuality, intimate partner abuse, increased in unplanned pregnancies, unsafe abortion,  maternal morbidity and mortality. Overall, COVID-19 lockdown escalated existing health challenges and the media  should continue to propagate protective health measures. Also, government should create access to health care  professionals, health care products and other health emergencies to tackle future pandemic.